Act 2

The Joint Tribe Festival


Maize didn't wait for her escort, didn't wait for the assembly to finish, she marched out as soon she heard the news she'd been fearing. Indeed, the virgin females of their tribe have been sold out. In truth, such a thing wasn't unheard of from other Saiyan tribes, but that Maize herself would be, by her best friend, was intolerable. The blind female couldn't stomach being in that kind of position any longer.

But Maize has to pause. In her anger and frustration, she's lost count of her steps. The blind Saiyan is aware of her general location, but not enough to know her exact position. Straight ahead could be the continuation of the road, or she could have veered off-course and end up smacking into the middle of a house. Not to mention she came here with Mellen, so she doesn't currently have her walking stick. If she isn't careful this might get dangerous.

First thing she does is take off her shoes. Touching the ground with bare feet, she can feel the cool radiance of stone. She's still on the road. Pressing harder with her toes, she notices the detail of how the rocks have been worn. She's ventured slightly off course, maybe only by 10 degrees or so. Adjusting appropriately, she follows in the wear of regular traffic, taking only one step at a time.

It takes nearly three times as long for when she was guided, but Maize finally returns to her doorstep. By now her feet are sore, back aching, and is more tired than as if she ran a marathon. And no sooner does she sit, a knock comes at her door. The homeowner doesn't bother welcoming the guest in. She already knows who it is.

"Maize! Maize are you there?" Mellen lets herself in in a panic.

The worried friend and mate to the village chief hustles into the blind Saiyan's den. Fearful of not receiving a reply, her heart practically stops upon finding someone sitting in a chair at the table. It gives her a fright.

"My lord! Why didn't you say anything? I was worried about you!"

But Maize still doesn't respond. She's still so furious any word out of her mouth might break their friendship forever.

However distant her friend is being, Mellen isn't so oblivious as to not read the atmosphere. After all, the concerns of her friend have to be the same as those of everyone else in their tribe, which she just spent the past two hours addressing.

"I know what you're thinking, but no, we didn't sell you girls out," though by her tone, she might not completely believe it. "The deal, isn't as bad as it sounds. We're only intermingling as tribes. They're not just going to snatch whatever girl they want willy-nilly."

"Do you honestly believe that?" a stern voice reprimands her. "I'm not as young as those other girls you must have been talking to all day, so don't try to fool me with whatever exchanges, provisions, or agreements you made at the negotiating table. We both know they aren't going to be so, cordial, when coming to pick up our females."

But Mellen doesn't take such admonishing words sitting down, "We didn't have a choice! Our fields are drying up and our tribe is overpopulated as it is! We needed to expand our territory to plow new fields and plant more crops! But we aren't strong enough to protect expanded farming all on our own. We, we needed an ally!"

Maize detected an oddity in Mellen's tone. It wasn't that the chief's female was lying, but almost like she didn't believe what she was saying either. The blind Saiyan with four acute senses decides to shelve that matter for now.

"I'm not upset at the deal you two struck. I trust that the situation is as serious as you make it out to be. What I'm angry about is that you two came into my home and lied to me! You told me it was a 'show of force?' Bull! You paraded us girls like it was a showcase. A gallery! And you couldn't even tell me that!"

The temperature continues to rise as the fire only receives more fuel.

"So what? Should I have told you, 'Hey, we might need to sell you off to another tribe?' You're the one full of crap! You're probably thinking right now, 'Nobody would want me anyway, so I could have just stayed home.' Admit it! That's why you're really upset! You're not mad because some girls are being sent away, or even that I lied to you. You just have it stuck in your mind that you'll never find a mate, so you never even put yourself out there and try!"

"So what if I am!" Maize is hurt that she even said it aloud, but once the dam is broke there's no stopping the flood. "Who wants a blind, defective female? In that gathering of virgin girls, I was the oldest one there. And not just by a little, by a lot! It's happened, time and time again. No male even wants to touch a female who has a chance of birthing a defective heir. I've been passed over, time and time again, until nobody even notices me anymore. I try wearing pretty clothes, keeping myself fit and clean, and all the work I've put into my hair, and it doesn't make a difference! Nobody wants me!"

Maize doesn't cry. She's far too mature to be crying over something like this. But Mellen, she doesn't see it that way. In her eyes, her friend has no more tears to spill. She approaches the conflicted companion and embraces her gently.

"Maize, my dear, you're not a normal Saiyan," Mellen strokes the back of Maize's hair. "You're smart, inventive, talented, beautiful, and you smell so nice. A normal male isn't good enough for you. I'm sorry our tribe is so small, but there is definitely someone out there who'll understand just how truly fantastic you are. You just, haven't met enough people. Maybe it could be someone from the Sorr Tribe."

In an unguarded moment, Maize speaks with the hopefulness of a child, "Do you really think so?"

"The Sorr Tribe? I don't know. One of them looks like a frog."

Maize has no idea if that's good or bad.

"No, I meant-"

"Someone out there for you? Of course. I don't know where he is, but there's definitely a male good enough for you somewhere."

Maize takes a few moments and truly digests what her friend had to say.

Then, "How much longer do you plan on touching my hair?"

"A lot longer."

"Stop it!"

"But it's so soft! It's not fair! Why can't I make my hair like yours?"

"Let go already! You're smothering me with your stupidly large boobs!"


"You've been awfully quiet Squeesh." Umpkin asks, "Something on your mind?"

Indeed his thoughts have been in turmoil, but he's not the kind who likes letting it show, "Just, thinking about the future. We've got a lot to look forward to."

In a rare feat, Umpkin thinks about and analyzes his tactician's words.

"You picked yourself out a female."

Squeesh trips and nearly falls.

"What? No! Of course not!"

"Yup, I can see it," proud of himself. "So you finally set your sights on a mate."

"No! That's not-" why did Umpkin have to be so keen on unimportant matters?

"What's this?" one of the 'bodyguards' overheard their conversation. "Did someone tickle our little Squeesh's fancy?"

Whatever drives Squeesh to keep denying it, keeps going, "It's none of-"

"Hey guys!" the guard continues throwing his weight around. "Squeesh's got a female he's crushing on!"

"Really?"

"No way."

"She's out of his league."

The quartet of intruders are the very essence of encouragement.

"So, which one was she?" the original continues to invade their tactician's personal space. "I got a good look at all the girls there, so I can tell you if you got a shot or not."

Deep inside, Squeesh measures and calculates their actions and intentions. If they were wondering who took his breath away, then wouldn't it be obvious? The most beautiful female there. That they even need to ask reveals they don't have a clue.

Squeesh remembers. After the uproar when the arrangement was announce, that beautiful dark female vanished. The way she was tucked away in the corner, attempting to hide, gave her a sense of nobility. Was her family rich or something, and simply had mating troubles? In any case, the others must not have noticed her.

"I keep telling you," pulling ahead of the pack, "it's not like that. It's just with this alliance we'll be able to expand our reach. Conquer new territories."

Umpkin doesn't quite buy his tactician's enthusiasm, but the others fold easily enough.

"Give it a year or so. We'll marching to battles future Saiyans will sing of in legend."

That changes the topic from females to fighting. An easy distraction. As Squeesh sees it, the less people that know about her, the better. After all, if it was widely known such a beauty existed, they'd literally kill over her. It wasn't a difficult picture to imagine, the intelligence-oriented Saiyan getting flattened in that scenario. But as long as nobody knew about her; sometimes the best way to win a battle is not to fight at all.

"So, uh, remind me again," Umpkin jumps back into the conversation. "For the joint festival, what were we supposed to do again?"

Actually, they took the lion's share of responsibilities for the coming event.

"Hunt, and a lot. We'll need enough meat to feed two tribes, and get it to them the day before. They'll handle all the cooking and preparation. Also gotta clear out a field between our two territories, and handle seating, so we'll have to cut down some trees. I'll get the carpenters on that. Gotta get some oil too." Checking the list in his head. "Oh, but they're handling the booze."

"Yeah!" the Sorr's Tribe Leader roars. "Let's do this!"


Maize has been worried about this day ever since Mellen rushed over to cheer her up. Her friend knew her better than anyone, maybe even herself, and she was right that the blind female shies from going out. The Tribe meeting was one thing, because Maize was told all she had to do was attend, but the festival will be a social gathering where she'll be expected to talk to strangers. How in the world could Maize possibly pull off that?

"I'm coming in," Maize hears Mellen's voice.

She doesn't recall if her friend even knocked.

"What are you doing?" Mellen scolds upon seeing the sorry state of Maize. "Why aren't you ready yet?"

Slumped over in her chair, she barely even motions to greet her.

"Just go on without me. I'm not going to make it."

"Don't give me that!" hands on her hips. "After all the trouble I went to trick-ahem, convince you to come, and you're chickening out?"

That slip up was on purpose.

"I can't do it. Just leave me be. I'll live the rest of my life as the Witch of the Forest."

"Hogwash!"

Approaching, the mother of three picks up the unruly child and drags her to her room. Dumping her on the bed, Mellen heads to the closet. Before getting ahead of herself, the friend remembers the rule of never touching anything in the closet. Maize won't know what outfit is placed where.

"Let's see. What happened to the outfit you wore the other time?"

"I hid it. There's no way I'll make it through the night if I wear that thing and everyone tries to talk to me."

Mellen sighs. Baby steps.

"Okay then. We have that white and tan dress that matches your skin so well." Then remembers explaining colors alone doesn't mean a thing to Maize. "It's the more conservative of your outfits. You might pick up the attention of the more timid and homely males."

Maize, still lifeless, "I don't think I could deal with that. Neither of us would be able to say a word. Scratch that. I'll go with it."

Mellen's gonna end up with wrinkles after tonight, she swears.

"You realize the point of tonight is to get hit on by males, right?" Moving on. "Let's see. There's the yellow and purple dress? Honestly, I don't know why you haven't burned this gaudy thing."

"It's comfortable!" Maize complains. "It was a rare and expensive fabric that was hard to come by! It's just, the trader lied when he told me the colors matched."

Hence why Mellen now always accompanies the blind Saiyan on shopping trips.

"Let's see, the yellow and blue tunic..."

Mellen doesn't give an explanation, but she also passes on this. The tunic is short sleeved, exposing Maize's thick-for-a-female arms. It might intimidate some of the more delicate males, while attracting the meat heads who wouldn't have any clue how to treat the blind female gently. The last kind of guy she wants her friend matting with is a brute.

"Um, the leather blouse with the red skirt and ash cloak?"

That tone of voice peeked Maize's interest. It was the kind of voice that said, "it isn't bad but please don't pick it."

"How would I look in it?"

Realizing she's been caught, the friend with perfect vision contemplates lying. But she feels it. Maize might not have eyesight, but her focus is boring holes through the fashion guide. If she so dares to lie, she will be seen through.

Sighing, "It makes you look like a social recluse who doesn't want to be there, but doesn't have a choice. But if you pull down the hood and wear the cloak as a mantle, the dress is actually pretty. Anyone who dares approach you will be in for a pleasant surprise."

Maize knew her instincts were right. This outfit is the perfect balance of what Mellen wants for her friend and Maize is willing to do. The blind female cannot simply abandon her comfort zone, but she can be a little brave. If she is to meet her mate tonight, he would need to be a little brave too.

"I don't know what I was expecting," Mellen resigns. "Come on, I'll help you change. It won't be much longer until the males from the Sorr Tribe arrive."


Squeesh could easily tell, Mellen didn't like talking to him. What official capacity the female held in the tribe her mate was responsible for, he couldn't tell, but since this alliance of tribes largely involved Tort's females, it makes sense she'd take the helm in this endeavor. As such, Mellen's contact with Sorr's representative increased dramatically. Upon the commencement of the festival between the two tribes, Umpkin immediately took it upon himself to challenge Tort's liquors, so that left the tactician to handle all the formalities. While the deal was already set, there are still plenty of details that must be covered.

"So, are these all your eligible males? There seem to be a lot more then what was mentioned."

Squeesh himself gripes, "Actually, at the mention of a festival, many of our mated males expressed an interest. I explicitly mentioned it was for singles only, but plenty who are already spoken for managed to sneak in with the crowd. As long as there aren't any indiscretions tonight, you shouldn't have a thing to worry about. They're only interested in the food and wine, and maybe a little bit of flirting. By tomorrow they'll have no more interest in what happens with the Tort Tribe."

It didn't make the chief's mate feel any better, but she herself knows how incorrigible Saiyan males can be. She herself had to fight more than a few Torts who wanted to be "chaperons" off with a stick. There's little else Mellen could do but accept it.

"Is that so." Then, a thought comes to mind, "What about your leader and yourself? Will you be partaking in the festivities?"

Thus far Squeesh has stuck close to the overwatch position with Mellen, but if he were single then certainly he'd want to partake himself.

"Our leader Umpkin is already attached, and is currently working on, developing, brotherhood with your male."

Currently Umpkin and Dekkon are in the midst of a drinking contest.

"Oh dear," Mellen sighs upon noticing, a hand is placed on her cheek.

"As for myself, I'm single."

Mellen seems fit to abandon her directing position and come to the aid of her husband, but Squeesh's reveal caught her notice.

"Then why aren't you flirting within the crowds?"

Whenever asked this repeatedly by his own Sorr, Squeesh could hold it close to the vest without effort. But when confronted by such a pretty female, even he can be cowed.

He stutters in spite of himself, "I-it's just, I'm better suited to watch over things like this."

Hardly anyone would fall for that act.

In a teasing tone, "Oh? Then, did someone catch your interest when you came last time?" A hand on her chin, "I see, I see. So basically, you've been searching for her this whole time and haven't found her yet. Got it."

"What? No! I mean-"

Placing one of her soft hands on his shoulder causes his actions to arrest, "It's fine. You don't have to admit it. I know how proud you males in positions of power can be. Some simply take what they want because they think they're owed it, but others like you have put your responsibilities so far ahead of yourselves, that when you find something you want, it's hard to overcome yourself. Dekkon is much the same way." Patting him a few more times on the shoulder, "So when you find her, just bite your tongue and go for it."

Squeesh couldn't oppose her Truly, Mellen is a force in and of herself. Had he not already seen the dark female, and she herself weren't the mate to the tribe's chief, he might go after her instead. But all the same he takes the words to heart and weakly nods.

"Good." Turning to her male, who seems to be having trouble, "Now, I better go rescue Dekkon before he drowns. He loves his drink, but isn't really that well in handling it. Later."

And with a cordial wave, she embarks to defend her mate. Squeesh watches her go, suffering a hint of lingering affection, but shakes it free of himself. He was letting himself get distracted in the worst way. It was a bit difficult, but he had to peel his eyes away from Mellen's mesmerizing hips as they swayed while she walked away. Now wasn't the time to be tempted. After all, he came here with a purpose already in mind.

Presently alone at the overwatch, the tactician doubles his efforts in searching for his unclaimed prize. First he focuses on the crowds where many of the Sorr males gathered. Certainly a female such as his prize would garner a lot of attention, but no groups match that criteria. When he noticed her at the ceremony, she was doing her best to hide. She's likely doing so now as well, and if she isn't being swamped by males, it only means she hasn't been discovered yet. That's very good for him. Now his search matches a different criteria; look for those who've been singled out, trying to hide.

Meanwhile Mellen took over the stumbling Dekkon's position at the challenge table. She matched the large Umpkin drink for drink. For a moment it was getting bad for the Sorr leader, but he took a desperate act and grabbed an entire barrel of wine as his cup. Mellen protested, as she couldn't lift a likewise heavy container, and was simply outpaced. After completely draining the barrel, Umpkin roared in declared victory. The crowd celebrated his achieved feat. And then he tipped over like a cut tree. Everybody silenced as they found the Sorr Chief frozen on the ground. Eventually he began to snore. Laughter and more cheers circled throughout as the festival continued around his unconscious self.

If the dark female's aim was to hide, she's doing a damn good job of it. Squeesh still can't find her after nearly half an hour. Did she not attend in the first place? Possibly. At the ceremony it seemed she was offended at the very notion of their agreement, and was possibly the only one who walked out on it altogether. While it pained Squeesh she wasn't present tonight, he could use his position and pull some strings to discover her identity. Likely Mellen would cooperate.

But then something catches the tactician's eyes. Sitting alone, far in a corner, is someone dressed in a cloak with the hood drawn. It's as if this person doesn't want to be here but doesn't have a choice. Does this fit the dark female's personality, or is it someone else? There's only one way to find out.


So far, everything went as planned. Maize kept the veil over her face and simply enjoyed the atmosphere. The food was delicious, the music acceptable (Saiyan's aren't really known for their dedication to the arts), and the crowd lively. At first it terrified the blind female to be surrounded by so much activity, but after a while she simply let the atmosphere overtake her. Once she did that, she was finally able to enjoy herself a little.

Through her heightened four senses, she more than heard what was taking place around her, she felt it. The mingling between tribes initiated with a bumpy start, but relations were gradually smoothing over. Sorr aren't necessarily the brutes they were made out to be, some of the females found them interesting, and a few actually began courting. For an alliance between tribes, it was certainly a pleasant start.

It wasn't without incident however. There were a few arguments between Tort males who sneaked in, Sorr who were getting a little touchy, and a couple mated males who were too close to flirting with infidelity. Overall however, the festival was heading in a good direction. Although it was pretty hilarious when Mellen literally drank the Sorr's Chief Umpkin under the table (you can't consider that his win).

"Hey, isn't that-" is caught by Maize's exceptional ears.

"Sorr's Tactician?"

"Doesn't he look like a frog?"

And a few others giggle. This, frog-faced tactician, seems to be heading their way. Apparently he was also present at the ceremony the other day. Even if he's an important person of power, if he's single, it shouldn't be surprising he'd mingle with the females.

Actually, it appears he's heading right for Maize's empty table. She's been spotted! All forgotten anxieties return as a sort of nausea sets. Stomach muscles cramping, it's all it takes not to get up and walk away. But Maize doesn't. She chooses to be brave.

"May I sit here?" a peculiar voice is directed to her. It sort of does resemble a croak from a toad.

Feeling herself receding further underneath her hood, the blind female manages a feeble, "Go ahead."

Indeed does he sit, but doesn't much after that. She can sense him quivering. He's nervous too. That she's not the only one struggling, it helps Maize build just a bit of courage.

"Is there something I can do for you?" only now realizing it to be a stupid question. If he's approaching her at this festival, there's only one thing he could want.

"Um, yeah," he croaks. "I'm, looking for someone."

Oh, then it wasn't that one thing? This helps the female relax.

"Oh really?" sounding too relieved. Then realizing, "I don't know how much help I can be, but I'll do what I can."

He said all this, but he's still hesitant to begin. Maize has nearly completely let down her guard.

"Um, how about we start with the name of who you're looking for?"

"I don't know. All I did was see her for but a moment, but I was completely enraptured. I think I am stricken."

The way he speaks is different, aside from his frogish voice. There's an unusual grasp on language, and an intelligence behind his words. He doesn't appear to be a heavy handed brute, so maybe she can relax around him.

"Go on."

Something seems to take hold of him, and again his words fall silent. But words do come, except they might not have been the words intended.

"You're voice is so pretty."

Even Maize's words become culled.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"

Such careless words reminds the female of Tomoto. That child is honest to a fault and sometimes speaks things no other would dare so aloud. These childish words from this male causes Maize to giggle.

"No, it's quite alright. Mr," then realizes she has no idea his name.

"Oh! You might not remember me, but I was at the ceremony the other day. I am the Sorr Tribe's tactician, Squeesh."

"Well Squeesh, my name is Maize." Getting comfortable, "Why don't you give me a description of this mystery female."

"Um, she was a very beautiful female. She has darker, tanned skin, and luscious hair."

Beautiful, dark, with good hair. Two of those descriptions Maize wouldn't be able to tell one way or the other, and she doesn't make a habit of going around touching other people's hair.

"That's not a lot to go on. Tell me more. What was your impression of her?"

"Um, well, she was secluded. She didn't seem to like crowds. At the ceremony, seemed to not want to be there. She might have even found it insulting. I don't know. As soon as what was announced, she left when no one was looking.

Maize has to stop and think. Preferred to be alone, maybe even shy, and left as soon as the announcement was made. So did someone else leave at the same time she did?

Wait.

"Ah, um," now it's Maize's turn to get nervous, "did you, perhaps, see what she was wearing?"

Growing bolder the more Squeesh is speaking with Maize, "Yes. It was a lovely blue and white robe, with gold embroidery."

When Maize had gone shopping with Mellen and her kids, those were the colors she'd been told she'd purchased. Squeesh couldn't possibly mean, he was searching for Maize?

"Please, that is you, is it not?" he begs.

So incredibly embarrassed, cheeks warm and blush, she tries to further draw the hood over her face.

"Ah, no. I don't know who you are talking about."

"It is you," even a daft male would be able to see through Maize's lie. "Please, show me your face."

There wasn't much she could do. The festival is too far from the village for Maize to run away with any hope of finding her way home, and attention has been gathered by surrounding eavesdroppers. Some of the nearby girls know the hooded female to be Maize, so of course they would be interested. Denying any further would be pathetic and known throughout the two tribes by tomorrow. While she might have been shy, she had no intention of purposefully sabotaging her own reputation.

"Very well."

With trembling fingertips, Maize draws back her hood.


The face revealed is indeed the one Squeesh remembers. He knew it as soon as he first heard Maize's voice. A voice that smooth and lovely could only belong to someone equally physically beautiful. Now that he sees her up close, he can only further appreciate how exotic her features. Darker skin, smooth and glossy hair, and a even a fresh and enchanting smell. Even her tail has been extensively brushed to a golden sheen. And her eyes-

Her eyes are closed.

"W-what's the matter? Why do you close your eyes?"

Maize almost can't seem to face him, "It's, it's better this way."

Squeesh is left confused. Why won't she look at him? Is it, because he looks like a frog? He heard others giggling about it as he approached, but chose not to pay them any heed. After all, he's been hearing it his entire life. If there had to be a main factor as to why he has yet to find a mate, it's likely because of that. This is why he tried so hard on this alliance, behaved himself to the best of his ability, so that others would see all of his good features despite this one flaw. And now there are people who won't even look at him?

"Do you insult me?" despite himself boiling, Squeesh manages to keep from bursting.

"What? No!" Getting desperate, "It's just, I can't."

"So I offend you. I know I'm not handsome, and that you're beautiful, and that we aren't a match, but you would go so far as to not even look at me?"

Maybe she doesn't intend to be spiteful, but her actions appear quite so. He thought so when first seeing her, but Maize appears something regal. Is her house so old and traditional, she indeed acts like a princess?

"No! That's not it! I just, can't see you."

Their argument is further drawing the attention of others, which only further fuels Squeesh's frustration. He feels a spotlight on him, drawing the mocking of the audience. He feels like a jester put on spectacle. The old him, that fought tooth and nail to make it to Sorr's number 2, is resurfacing.

"Then what is it?" he finds himself yelling. "Is it because I'm ugly? Because of tradition? Are you part of some crazy new religion that forbids you from seeing a male's face? What is it?"

Frightened by his outburst, she's trembling. But Maize doesn't retreat. Swallowing hard, she seems to gather a little bit of courage.

"No. I mean it literally. I can't see."

Maize finally does as he requested. He thought her exotic and unique, and only further does as she opens her eyelids and reveals silver irises. For a moment, Squeesh finds them incredibly beautiful as well. All Saiyans have black iris. There is no exception, except for Maize. But there's something beyond their uniqueness. They're also eerie. It takes a moment, but Squeesh realizes they don't reflect light. And it dawns upon him. Maize said she can't see, said she meant it literally, and actually meant it literally. She's blind.

"What joke is this?"

Upon hearing those words, in that tone, Maize recognized something. She retreats a step out of her seat, holding herself, and seems to shrink. It's the same scene that's faced her before each and every rejection.

"I don't care what you look like," but there is still something in her that wants to contest this rejection, something that might seem to understand Squeesh's own frustration. "I don't care if we don't match. All I want is someone to hold. Someone who could look passed my own imperfections. So it doesn't matter if you have a frog's face. So, can't we at least get to know each other?"

Offering a hand, "As a matter of fact, I happen to like fr-"

Squeesh heard nothing after the words "frog's face" were uttered by her beautiful voice. What cut off her speech was the Sorr Warrior hurling a fist right into the blind female's cheek. It was a blow so unexpected and filled with wild emotion, Maize could never have anticipated it. She's dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks.

"What kind of joke is this!" he repeats, this time to the audience that's, no doubt, providing him their undivided attention. "We propose an alliance, and you give us this? A blind, defective female? Do you see us Sorr as your mutt? Starved for whatever table scraps you throw off your plate! Do you expect us to be satisfied with such garbage? And it's not just this one, but all of your females are ugly! They are the frail, the sick, shunned, and rejected! I demand you show us your real girls! The ones you've kept hidden from us!"

After such a tirade, nobody said a word. Of course both Tort and Sorr find his actions reprehensible. To hit your female isn't exactly uncommon within a household, but doing so in public, against someone who isn't your mate, and a cripple, is totally unacceptable. Nobody would dare back Squeesh's actions.

Realizing he's the only one who thinks this way, and that he's being ostracized, the fuming Saiyan stomps off in a huff. Even his own subordinates don't dare approach him.

Even if Maize isn't the most popular person in the tribe, there isn't a soul who wouldn't offer her sympathy. Since her known friend Mellen doesn't seem to be present, one of the nearby girls approaches to offer the blind female a hand. Except Maize isn't where she was only moments prior. She's vanished without a trace.


Nobody saw it, but Maize left in a flash. What hurt more than the punch, and even more than the words, was the rejection. Again, once again she was defined by her blindness. It's happened so many times before one would think she'd be used to it, but this time it was different. Squeesh, he was actually interested in her. He didn't see her defect, he didn't see her weakness, he didn't see what every other male found in her. Squeesh even called her beautiful. Maize never had another male tell her so. And for all of that to be overturned just because of her lack of eyesight, and she couldn't stand it.

So she ran. Maize ran so fast her body became a blur. It didn't matter that she couldn't see, that any mishap could prove disastrous, she charged forward with reckless abandon. And was she fast.

Maize limited the time her feet touched the ground. Instead of running, she leaped in great strides. Any rock or twig that normally would have tripped her, were instead crushed underfoot. These aren't the footfalls of a simple blind female.

Heading in only a vague, general direction towards her home, in little time she comes to an detachment of trees. Coming to a rapid stop right at the edge of the clearing, she pauses. It's only a for a moment, but she stops. The blind Saiyan's hypersensitive nose tells her; these are her trees, this is her forest. After only that brief rest, she continues into the woods.

As trees provide greater obstacles than simple pebbles upon the plains, her speed as been greatly reduced. However, she performs a deftness, a specialty, of maneuvering between trees. Maize is fully, 100%, no-doubt-about-it blind, but no one would be able to tell. It's as if the trees speak to her, warns her of it's perils, and she trusts their guidance explicitly. Her progress towards home is harmonious, nearly as lovely as her own visage.

And then she trips over a rock.

Crashing with no small fanfare, it's the kind of tumble that would make an elite Saiyan Warrior cringe. No only the initial fall, but the tumbling, crashing about, and eventual sudden stop when her spine slams into one of those very informative trees. Afterwards she lays still on the ground. One would assume she would then add another disability to her blindness.

But she rises. Wearily, but she again takes a stand. She continues forward. However, she doesn't rely on the ground as she did before. Instead she takes for the branches. Leaping between, grabbing and swinging from vines, she traverses the forest like a, well, like a monkey. Truly, this is her environment.

Eventually Maize reaches her destination, though it's not her home. Instead what she seeks is a landmark. It's a clearing in the forest, a hidden little cove, with but a giant boulder resting in the center. Taller than her by a factor of two, it's diameter is even larger than her own house. Yet the blind female faces it, faces it like an opponent to overcome.

"Aaaarrrrrgggghhhhh!" Maize screams, little different than a beast.

Her fist slams into the hard rock surface, and then, to no one's anticipation, through it. Upon her punch a portion of the solid rock crumbles. Pebbles break away and a spray of particles erupts. To say the least, Maize's fist is harder than a centuries old boulder.

But it doesn't stop at just one punch. Maize continues beating on the inanimate object without regards of appearances or her own safety. And her own cries continue, mixing beast-like howls with obscenities. This is a very different person than who everybody knows. Even her own best friend Mellen has never see Maize like this. Than again, there is a lot about this female nobody else knows.


I had a hard time deciding what kind of genre this story fits in. It's a drama through and through, but it's also a love story. However, if it's a love story, it's definitely not a romance. That will become abundantly clear in the following chapters.

I wanted to post this a week ago, but a shakeup at work with my schedule prevented me from doing so. Things are starting to fall back into place, so I'm starting to pick up a rhythm again. I'll try to keep up a momentum, but no promises.

~Kyle Castorena