Self insertion and other usual warnings(bad language in this one).



Believe Again
Part Nine



"This is amazing craftsmanship." Paikuhan stood at the foot of the bed, holding Di's bo in both hands. He touched the end of a blade with one finger and seemed satisfied when it drew a drop of crimson blood. For a guy who got his head bashed in the night before, Paikuhan looked pretty good. Much better than I expected. Then again, these undead bodies do heal unnaturally fast. "Do you know who made it?"

"Nope," I said as I leaned over to stretch my calf muscles. "Not sure if Discord made it himself or someone made it for him, but it's almost too pretty to use as a weapon. It'd rather display it on my wall."

"It's been well-used," Piccolo added from his spot by the wall. He'd been floating there in the lotus position for hours. I think he spent the night watching me sleep.

"Muchly." Paikuhan handed the bo back and placed a light hand on my shoulder. His pinkish lips curved into a warm smile, "I used a weapon similar to it against Void. I could probably teach you a few tricks. But first you need to build up your stamina. You still tire too quickly on the floor."

"Yeah, that'd be neat..." I looked down at the bo, at my reflection in the blades. "How can you tell it's been used?"

Piccolo lowered to stand and came forward. He ran the tip of his finger along a slight depression in the wooden handle. "See this? When someone uses a weapon with a wooden handle long enough, warmth from the hands and grip pressure mold it just slightly. A bit like you would wear in a shoe or a stiff shirt. I'm not surprised you didn't notice," his eyes became faraway, "you have to be a bit familiar with different weapons to know what to look for."

The faint depression in the handle was about the same size and shape as Discord's fist. Funny, I wouldn't have noticed without it being pointed out to me.

"Yeah, well..." I blinked at them, amazed even at myself when I said, "why're we still fooly-farting around in here? We've got training to do!"

"Yes, ma'am!" Paikuhan tapped a fist to his chest in a weird salute and laughed. "You heard the woman, what are we waiting for?"

Piccolo merely arched a brow at me, "All right, what did you do with the real Cyndi?" But then he smirked and gave my shoulder a gentle pat. "Take the bo with you and walk for awhile. Get used to its weight. You know where to find Paikuhan and I if you get tired or feel ready to join the sparring."

"Right-o." I hefted the bo over my shoulder, nabbed a Hershey bar from the fridge to get my daily chocolate fix and took off for the door.

$

I got bored with walking and resorted to jogging laps around the living area building. Mind you, it was a big building, about as long as a football field, so it was a very long run. My poor body started complaining about the abuse around four hours later, in the form of muscle cramps and intense thirst. So I took a break and had a long sip from my water bottle. Sat on the steps for a few to watch Piccolo and Paikuhan beat the hell out of each other.

Twenty minutes later had me bored. I went to the side of the building where Tambourine had appeared that one time, leaned the bo against the wall and went to work trying to figure out that damned Kamehameha wave. I was so close...like...millimeters away from getting the ki to eject from my hands. Something kept stopping it. What was I doing wrong?

Then I remembered something Paikuhan said earlier:

"Your movements, the position of your arms and legs, even your words shape your ki into something tangible."

Of course! I was only doing the movements, not calling out the syllables! Using ki is almost like....like casting a spell. I could do this. I had to.

...even though I thought it looked kinda stupid.

I imitated the stance, focused on pulling my energy up from my feet. A warm, tingly sensation prickled up my legs and into my belly button, then worked its way into my arms and legs. Ready to be used. I brought my arms forward and touched the heels of my hands together, making sure the tips of my fingers pointed to the floor and sky.

"Ka...."

Squared my stance and twisted sideways slightly, bending my elbows as if I was pulling the string on a bow and arrow, except I had both hands pulled back. As usual the energy swirled from my wrists to my palms, collecting like rain on a cupped leaf. I almost couldn't stand the tingle.

"Me..."

The tingle became unbearable. If I do this after only two days of practice, I'll shut up and change my name to Mary Sue.

"Ha..."

I twisted myself even further sideways. Weird pressure kept forming in my stomach and shoulders. I probably could've just imagined a kamehameha expert into the room. But that's abusing its power. The only time I even did it on purpose was when I brought in Discord - granted I didn't PLAN for him to appear, him and his bo just happened to fit the description my mind conjured up for a weapon.

"Me..."

New sensation - pressure on my palms. I felt the muscles in my arms tighten. Never had that happen before. I braced my feet and thrust my arms forward.

"HA!"

A brief blue-white burst shot from my palms. The backthrust knocked me flat on my butt and I lost it. But I'd done it! I'd fired a kamehameha! A weak, pussified one, but I DID do it!

You Believers out there may now call me Mary Sue for the duration of this wild adventure. I deserve it. Oh, the shame!

"I did it! Oh my God! PAIKUHAAAAAAAN! PICCOLOOOOOOO!" I got all excited and raced around the side of the building. "Piccolo! Paikuhan!"

"What the - " Piccolo lost focus on the spar. Paikuhan CLOBBERED him with a flying kick. Piccolo was up and pressing me against the wall in less than three seconds. If only he realized what he grabbed when he pushed me backwards. "What have I told you about interrupting my spars?! Don't you know it's dangerous?"

"Ow! You're squishing my boobs!" I pulled backwards a little. "If you wanted to feel me up, you could've asked!" I wiggled my eyebrows and half-grinned at his flustered expression, "Chill out, it's not like you'll get killed. This's important - "

The Namek bore his teeth. "What's so important that you have to interrupt a spar?"

Paikuhan calmly settled a hand on Piccolo's shoulder. Their skin was exactly the same shade of green. Eerie. He appeared mildly annoyed at the intrusion as well, but didn't let it show too much. "Relax, Piccolo...did you feel that energy spike a few seconds ago? I think this interruption is warranted."

"This is coming from a guy who never gets angry." Piccolo scoffed, crossing his arms. He glowered down at me, impatient as ever. "Well? What's this big surprise?"

"I finally fired off a kamehameha. It sucked and it was weak, but I DID do it. It's why I've been off training by myself, I wanted to see if I could learn it. I saw Goku and them do it a million times and figured I could too."

"It's dangerous if you can't control it. You can barely control your gekidoshinku move." Piccolo relaxed. He frowned slightly, a little bruised from the kick in the face. "And controlling a new attack neither of us know is not something we can teach you - "

I got huffy. "If I can learn to do it, I think I can learn to control it."

Paikuhan tapped his chin with one finger, faced me and arched a brow. "Why not show us?"

"I'll try." I said, assuming the stance.

Remember when you were little, you'd do this awesome trick and go run to your parents to tell them, but then when you go to do it for them, you can't do it again? The same thing happened to me right there. It was like drawing a really awesome picture and then not being able to draw another really cool one right afterwards. I must've wiped myself out with the first kamehameha wave. Why did I always poop out at the worst times possible?

I went on for twenty minutes without success. Both Piccolo and Paikuhan looked mildly doubtful.

And as usual, I got frustrated. "Well I DID do it! I don't know why the hell I can't do it again!"

"I believe you. It took me almost a year to master my Thunder Flash attack. And from what Piccolo told me, he took four years to create his makankosappo."

"And you took almost a month to figure out your gekidoshinku move, kid, which is a very simple ki trick." Piccolo stood up, expressionless as usual. "I don't see why you can't try something a little harder than you're used to."

Paikuhan blinked and squinted over at Piccolo, "I don't believe I've seen that gekidoshinku you spoke of."

Piccolo shook his head. "Trust me, it hurts."

I hunched my shoulders, remembering with shame the last time I nailed Piccolo with that. Almost killed him. Such couldn't happen here, but...still...I was afraid to use it in close combat spars. But if Void ever shows her ugly face again, I swear she's getting red lighting flashed straight up her oily ass.

"Hey, Paikuhan, why don't we go see if I can stand up to Thunder Flash? S'not like it'll kill me if I don't block it."

Piccolo and Paikuhan glanced at each other, exchanging odd looks. Sometimes I wonder if they were sending telepathic messages and keeping me out. It started to bother me, but I didn't say anything. Except for shooting them both a mild glare.

My impatience got the better of me. I went from a mild glare to daggers in about two seconds. "Yo, don't go easy on me just because I'm a girl, okay? Now unless you want me to go off and sit on my ass, let's start sparring. And I'll start with trying to hold my own against Paikuhan's big move."

Piccolo heaved a sigh that moved his shoulders up and down. He did NOT look pleased with me. "Fine, but I'm standing back in case something goes wrong. That move is intense."

"Alrightey then." I about-faced and walked off into the mist, followed by two very reluctant green men.

"The smart thing to do is start powering up now. You really don't want this to catch you off-guard," said Paikuhan, smiling at me with his eyes more than his mouth. He does that all the time to me, it's cute.

His look made me giggle. "I got it, same to you against my move. It can be pretty widespread, especially since I haven't done it in a long time. Gimme a minute to power up here." I squared my stance and called upon the more familiar ki of my signature attack. Powering up for the gekidoshinku was a lot different than a kamehameha wave. Because it was an electrical-based attack, it made me tingle and caused the hairs on my arms to stand up. As if my body was one giant neuron firing electrical signals all over the place.

"Thunder..." Paikuhan started his little Thunder Flash dance. Honestly, it looks like he's dancing when he powers it up. He muttered the incantation that went with it, face fierce and laced in concentration. "Flash..."

I had to jump into Super Saiyajin mode just to keep up with his rising energy. I held my hands up and watched the little red ball grow while Paikuhan drew back, ready to fire off his spiraling fireball. I grinned wickedly. This was going to be fun. I took great pleasure in the tingling almost-pain racing down my arms. As if my body was full of electrical wires instead of blood vessels.

Paikuhan did his final sway. I passed my hands through the large red sphere.

"....Attack!"

"Gekidoshinku!"

Paikuhan's spiral of fire met my splayed lightning bolts.

And blasted right through like they were nothing. I might as well have not thrown anything at all for all the good it did.

Shit.

On TV it's slowed down a whole lot so you can see it. I only had time to notice my attack was nothing against it. Blistering heat swept over, around and through me. I felt like my skin was coming off, a horrible feeling I can't even describe. All became numbness. I heard Piccolo shouting something that sounded like "Stop, STOP!"

Then all faded to oblivion.

$

Paikuhan's voice came to me dimly. He sounded mildly upset. "She just froze, I didn't have time to pull it back."

"One of her worst habits in battle. Surprise gets to her. She freezes." Piccolo replied, "I need to teach her how to erect a ki shield in cases like this. At least she won't sit there like an idiot and get hit."

We were back in the living area. Me on the bed, Piccolo and Paikuhan standing off to the side, talking. How could I tell? I didn't feel like I had a million extra pounds trying to crush me into the floor.

My head ached, hell, even my hair hurt. I felt pain in places I didn't know existed. I struggled to remember what happened and why I was there, but my memory was foggy. All I recalled was this fricken huge-ass fireball coming at my face. I would've done better at remembering if those two weren't babbling about me like I wasn't even there.

"Sh-shut u-up..." I tried to talk, but my throat felt like I'd swallowed sand. It made me cough. "Water."

Two presences came to either side of my bed, but I didn't open my eyes to look.

Paikuan's voice from the left, "I'll get it. Stay with her."

"Mmh." Piccolo grunted on the right, but I felt his hand brush lightly through my hair. "Poor kid, I guess I should've warned you about that move."

"Bite me, you knew I'd get my ass nailed. You just..." I had another coughing fit, "...love to pop my ego, don't you?"

"Keeps it from getting bigger than Vegeta's."

More coughing. "You suck."

Piccolo shifted around a bit, emitting a little grunt-sigh. I'd gotten so used to his little sounds that I knew, without looking, that he was settling into the lotus position next to the bed. "Paikuhan's coming with your water. He's also going to explain what his attack did to you. Listen close and don't interrupt."

"I'm what? Oh, right..." Slimmer hands lifted my head and tipped the glass to my mouth.

I proceeded to drink like a dehydrated camel in the middle of a desert. Cold water never tasted so good. I sank back after I finished, licking my lips as I opened my eyes. Aside from a few "blank" spaces in my vision, all seemed okay. Great, I think that blast triggered a migraine. I just hoped the headache wasn't going to follow. "Now what do you have to explain?"

"Thunder Flash is a harsh attack. It disrupts the nervous system if you're not prepared when it hits. Goku could handle it because he was considerably stronger...and larger...than you." Paikuhan sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't sound overly-dismayed, just mildly concerned. "You'll be all right by tomorrow, but until your body heals up, you'll be paralyzed and have sensory disruptions. Sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch may not work quite right."

"I hear just fine, but I can't see straight...looks like things do when I'm getting a migraine." I tried to move my arm. Might as well be trying to will someone else's arm to move for all the good that did. "Fricken great, why is it whenever I get up a good steam in training, something happens to lay me up for the rest of the day?"

"Perhaps - "

Piccolo snorted and said, "It hurts, doesn't it? If you weren't so arrogant, you wouldn't be here now, would you?"

Paikuhan frowned, shifting to look at Piccolo. The tassels on his tall hat fell over his shoulder. "Piccolo, isn't that a little harsh?"

"Not for this one. Telling doesn't work, you have to show her." I could hear the smirk in his voice, it made me want to slap him. "Figured she'd be used to it by now. I guess I was wrong."

I turned my head and snarled, "Piccolo....when I can move my legs again, I swear I'm going to kick your ass all over Otherworld."

A deep chuckle, "I'd like to see you try, squirt."

"Hey, both of you, stop it." Paikuhan released a long, drawn out sigh. I saw a patch of blue from his shirt move up towards his face. His hand disappeared and reappeared as it moved through a blank spot in my vision. "We all could use some rest, I think. It's been a very, very long few hours."

Piccolo rumbled wordlessly. Paikuhan nodded to him and his footsteps pattered out. The door clicked gently shut.

I guess Piccolo was waiting for him to leave. As soon as we were alone, he spoke up in a low tone, "You sure seem to enjoy your time with Paikuhan. I don't like how you two look at each other."

"Oh good grief," I scoffed, "he was just being friendly. People aren't allowed to smile at each other? You never bothered me when Freeza and I goofed off together."

"Feh. Freeza was married." He hissed contemptuously, "and what about the way you were hanging on Discord? You were acting like...like you did when we first met. I wouldn't have been surprised if you'd started salivating like a rabid animal with the way you were looking at him."

"Oh, my God, Piccolo?" I twisted my head around to stare at him. Maybe my ears were tricking me, did Piccolo really say that? "You're jealous, aren't you?"

Piccolo's eyes widened. He looked away and curled his lip. "Nonsense! I just...I...." Watching him stutter was hilarious, "I don't like the way they looked at you, okay?!"

"You silly Namek!" Laughter tickled my voice. "First of all, Paikuhan is celibate, that means he doesn't and never did get involved with or have sex with anyone. And Discord can't look at me, he's blind...in case you didn't notice." That made Piccolo blink at me, he obviously didn't notice. I went on, "And for all I know he could've been more interested in you than me. As for me and Paikuhan, well, we're buddies. New buddies, but still buddies. Is that so wrong?"

Stony silence, followed by a cool glare. I met Piccolo's smoldering, narrowed eyes and couldn't avoid a cat-that-ate-the-canary grin. He looked so pissed at me with his fangs bared and snarl lines forming on his pointed nose. I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy pushing his buttons that time. The result was absolutely hysterical!

"It's a good thing you're already green, Piccolo....that's all I can say." I giggled like mad, "You don't have to worry about competition, okay? I might crush on a few other people, but you'll always come first."

Piccolo seethed in silence for a long time. "I am not jealous."

"Are too." I grinned.

"Am not!" He snarled.

"Are too."

"Am not!"

"Am not."

"Are too!"

"Gotcha."

Piccolo half-stood, "Shut up!"

I looked up at him. He looked down at me. Neither of us could keep a straight face anymore...so we both laughed. Yes, Piccolo laughed. It's a wonderful, wonderful sound, like thunder echoing off mountainsides and bounding down to my ears. His face must've lost ten years. We laughed like a couple of idiots until we were exhausted, flush-faced and gasping. My sides ached, but it was worth it to see and hear Piccolo crack up. I don't think he's ever laughed that hard before.

Then I had another problem.

"Uhh, Piccolo?"

"Yeah?"

"I um....I gotta pee. Help?"

Piccolo made a big show of sighing, gone from amused to annoyed in half a second. But he picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. "The things I have to put up with when you show up..."

I made a face at him. "You know you like it."

He put me down on the toilet and yanked my pants off. "This is not what I had in mind."

I rolled my eyes. Piccolo had to hold me up so I wouldn't fall over. I did my business and tried not to blush when he took care of the rest. "I think it's kinda kinky. If I could move, I'd grab your ass right now."

Piccolo's handsome face dissolved into a smirk. He looked down his nose at me. I think he winked, but I can't be sure. "Then I'm glad you can't. I've had enough of your pinching and spanking for one lifetime."

"Asshat." I headbutted him lightly, "Just wait till tomorrow. You're gonna be soooooo sorry."

"....feh." Piccolo headbutted me right back. Hard. He was wearing his turban, so it hurt! "We'll see about that."