The next few days were some of the most unpleasant I had experienced in..quite some time. With everyone occupied with training and preparations, there were legitimate reasons for me not to be the focus of their attentions. However…I could feel a difference in how I was treated. Vegeta no longer demanded my company as a training partner, and made no move to disguise how I had lowered in his eyes. Not as though he had confided in me in the slightest before, but now there was such an active distrust that it hurt even from him. Others, like Goku and Bulma, who maintained friendly conversation whenever around me, could not quite rid themselves of moments of doubt. Brief times where silence or pleasantry showed that they did not wish to discuss potentially important information around me. Moments where I could feel that, though they did not precisely believe that I had betrayed them, they could not understand my loyalty to Revan, and therefore could not know how far that loyalty extended.

I no longer felt as though I should reside here. I had not been told to leave, nor was it hinted in any way that I was unwelcome. But if my presence was only a burden, only someone else to watch out for, what right did I have to remain here? Since I no longer served as sparring partner to Vegeta, my only contribution to this household had ended. I was no longer asked to serve as a guardian for the infant Trunks, with the claim that Bulma had felt badly for requesting so much of my time for such a purpose. How much that was true, I could not tell.

But what was worse…

I heard familiar footsteps behind me and stepped nearer to the wall to allow him easier passage. As he passed, I hesitantly glanced up. No response, as I expected. The Saiyan youth passed me without acknowledgement of my presence. He had done so whenever possible since we had returned from Goku's house. I couldn't say exactly why his exclusion hurt me more than that of anyone else. He had certainly not meant more to me than any others on this planet. Except..there were times. Times when I had enjoyed his presence. Times when he had looked after me, just as Revan and Jin had always done. Times when he had inspired me to trust him. I had confided in him, told him what I had never been asked by anyone else, the story of how I had attained my powers. He had listened to me then, and now he wouldn't even see me.

That was what hurt.

I should leave. I could. I had lived without the comforts of a home before. Certainly I could do so for a short while longer? Just until Revan arrived. Perhaps then I could convince him to leave, to continue his conquest another way. There were certainly other powers in the universe than those of this planet. Perhaps I could rid him of the personal vendetta against the Saiyans of this world. He would surely accept me back into the group. My brief transgression could not have been so bad to warrant rejection. And if it did…Jin would come with me, wouldn't he? Of course he would. He had always looked to me for acceptance. I was his protection, as Revan was mine. But if we left on our own, who would be my protector? Who would track down jobs for us to work? I had never related well with powerful figures, and Jin sometimes tried too hard not to be intimidated. What else could I do? I did not truly like the business of planet trading and mercenary work, but what other use was I? Who would need my powers, limited as they were? Even if I could find a position as healer on some planet, how would I approach anyone to ask? I had never truly been on my own before. For so long had Revan been my leader, planned all my actions, and taken care of all my needs, that I could not trust my ability to do so for myself. As much as I would have liked to tell myself otherwise, I needed someone to look after me. I needed someone I knew was strong enough to protect me in my moments of weakness, someone who would care for my well-being. I needed to be of use to someone, to feel as though I was important enough in their eyes to be worth their attention. Who else could provide that for me, if Revan rejected me?

For the first time in years, I was truly afraid.

Trunks POV

He wasn't sure what made him stop. Maybe it was that she had stopped moving, just stepped aside with that newfound meekness she had acquired over the last few days. She had always been quiet, but never to be invisible.

It was probably his fault. He hadn't spoken to her since her convenient little trip out of the city. And he was right, wasn't he? After his family had taken her in, after all that crap she had put up with as his father's new adversary…after he had fought with his father to defend her, and now she wouldn't even try to help them? It was bad enough that this Revan still had this hold on her, to keep her loyal even after he'd abandoned her- but then why had she stayed at all? If she'd known she had no intention of leaving him, why hadn't she just gone back and saved them all the trouble? Why had she stayed? Gohan had gotten so attached to her, his father had even been amiable towards her, and he...he'd thought she was interesting. Maybe a bit more than interesting. As unnerving as she could be sometimes, with her strange appearance, and powers he still couldn't quite understand, there was still something about her that made him want to know her. The times when he had watched her as she tended over Gohan and his present self, she had been so gentle. Mysterious a lot of the time. She was an intriguing example of quiet power, one that didn't need to display her abilities to have others know and respect them. And when that same power had hurt her, worn her body to the point of exhaustion…he had been scared for her.

So why wouldn't she stay here? What could Revan offer her that he-that they couldn't give? Was it that she didn't trust them after all? She had seemed to. She had told him about her past, about her weaknesses. Wasn't that the ultimate trust? She had asked him for his story. Would it have made a difference if he had confided in her as well? Would that have let her know that he trusted her? Or would the knowledge that he would have to return to the future have made her only more likely to leave? Of course not. As if his presence would mean that much to her. And hers shouldn't mean anything to him. So why had he been agonizing over this for days?

He finally allowed himself to look back at her. And felt his heart clench.

She looked as anxious as he had ever seen her, the chain of her necklace wound tightly around her hand, clenching the crystal so tightly he saw a few drops of blood trickling down her wrist. She wasn't looking at him, but seemed to be fully absorbed in whatever thoughts she was having that disturbed her so much. What was bothering her? It couldn't have anything to do with his distance, could it? But then what-

"Kiori?" He asked quietly, raising her from her reverie. It felt strange to say her name again.

Her gaze shot up to stare at him for one wide-eyed moment, then dropped down suddenly as she realized the pain in her hand. She slowly unclenched her fist, letting the chain fall from the miniscule indents the links had created in her skin. The crystal was smudged with a small amount of blood from the scratch in her palm. With a brief glance up at him, she gently closed her hand over the necklace again. A faint blue glow escaped between her fingers for a moment, and when she opened her hand the smudge had disappeared from the crystal and her skin.

"Are you alright?"

"I..yes, I am fine. Thank you." She murmured.

Something was still wrong. She wouldn't look at him. He knew it was normal for her not to make eye contact, another thing that bothered him sometimes, but she never tried so actively to avoid his notice. He advanced slowly towards her, stopping immediately in front of her. She still hadn't looked up. Why? What was it that was so uncomfortable for her? What was causing this new..meekness about her? It didn't suit her. Another moment of silence passed, and a twinge of annoyance struck him. Determined to get some kind of reaction out of her, he abruptly reached out with one hand and deftly pushed her chin up, forcing her to meet his eyes.

Kiori's POV

For a moment I was too shocked to feel awkward. What was he doing? He had never been forceful with me. I couldn't even remember him touching me other than when he had carried me after the training match. Had I done something else to anger him? When he didn't immediately speak, I felt my eyes start to shift away again, if only out of habit.

"Kiori." He said tersely. "Look at me."

I hesitated for a moment, before slowly lifting my eyes to his. He held me there for almost a minute, rebuffing me with slightly more pressure from his fingers whenever my gaze began to shy away. As much as I tried, I couldn't be comfortable meeting his eyes. It was always this way for any contact longer than a glance. I always felt as though people were seeing too far into me, delving deeper than I wished to let them. I knew it was more than likely such a feeling was entirely unfounded most of the time. But that did little to ease my discomfort. I couldn't say why he insisted upon doing this, but considering the trouble I had caused, I was willing to try.

"Is it really that hard for you?" He asked, more softly, after he caught my eyes falling away again. I nodded slightly as he slowly withdrew his fingers. I heard him sigh. "Look, I- I know things have probably been confusing around here since- well, lately. But I don't want you to feel bad or like you have to hide from everyone. I just..I don't know, wanted to let you know. That I'm not mad at you. And I'm sure no one else is, either."

He was telling me it was alright? That he didn't consider my actions betrayal? I was at a loss to understand how he had experienced such a change of heart without any apparent cause. I cocked my head slightly and cautiously looked up at him, this time of my own volition. As I quickly searched his face for an end to my confusion, he suddenly seemed to grow somewhat abashed, self-consciously curling and hiding the offending hand behind his back. I blinked and looked down again. Did I now cause him to be uneasy? First he demanded my attention, and then he shrunk away from it. What importance did eye contact have on this planet? Did it signify something more than I knew?

I was utterly confused.

Shuffling a foot slightly, he looked out towards the nearest window, seeking another focus than the current situation he had created.

"Hey, um, you haven't really had anything to do since my father locked himself in the Gravity Room, have you? And I'm not really looking forward to being commissioned for training again today, so…I don't know, is there anywhere you want to go?"

I considered this, somewhat hopeful at the opportunity to reestablish a calmer mood around the house. For the short time that it mattered, at least.

"I..suppose I could, but I'm not familiar with the recreation of this planet." I concluded slowly.

"Well, I don't know either, but if you wanted we could just wander and see where that takes us."

After another moment of thought, I nodded.

"Alright, then..I guess maybe we can leave after lunch?" He suggested. Once I signaled my agreement, he took advantage of the opportunity to escape our uncertain encounter.

It was clear I had yet to properly understand how those of this planet thought.

Roar. Countless apologies couldn't really make up for my horrilble neglect. I'm sorry readers!

But in any case, I have the next chapter somewhat planned out, and I plan to apply myself properly and get it out soon. I welcome feedback! I know my endings suck...