Uh...hey guys *laughs nervously* I'm back! *crickets chirp in the background* Right. Anyway, I'm sorry to those who were actually still reading this, but school's been evil and has been holding me prisoner for the past few months! It's only been a couple of weeks that I've started writing again since school became a little less smothering. I will admit, though, I don't think this chapter is quite up to par, but you'll see at the end that it IS leading up to some major action in the near future!!!
Disclaimer: I'd love to say I possess ownership of Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z, but then again, I'd also love to say I possess immortality.
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The Saiy-jin Scouts by Crystal Rose
~ Chapter 10 ~
Waking slowly from a deep sleep, Mina's eyes slowly fluttered open to reveal the sleeping form of Android Seventeen. Blinking in slight confusion, she looked up to find herself resting on the edge of the bed he currently occupied. She sat up and yawned, stretching luxuriously before letting out a sigh of pleasure. She rubbed her eyes wearily as she stood, overlooking the peaceful features of the android in silent admiration. Following the sharp lines of his face, she noticed a small smudge of chocolate stained the corner of his lips and thought back to the night before.
After finally calming down, having lost the ability to possibly ever laugh again, Mina had managed to sit up with a great deal of difficulty, drained from the effects of the android's humorous words. She found him looking down at the ground in a mixture of indignant anger and embarrassment. Smiling in a good-natured way, she knelt down beside him, a slight glint of mischief sparkling in her eyes. She knew just the thing! She stared into his cold eyes, her own cheerfully bright.
"Come now, cheer up! We'll go upstairs and have some sweets," she grinned as he looked up at her in a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
"Why?" This caused the young girl's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise.
"What do you mean why? Don't you want any? Unless..." she made a face, "...unless...you don't like sweets."
The android managed to look somewhat sheepish as he stood, explaining that he'd never had the pleasure of experiencing sweets.
"What in the world are sweets? I only knew of one activity that humans enjoyed so fervently...." the android mumbled under his breath, blushing as he tried to rid himself of the thought.
Hearing this, Mina's face once again split into a wide smile as she eagerly grabbed his hand and headed upstairs, babbling about it being his 'first time'.
"W-Wait!" He cried out, startled. Of course, if he'd really wanted to, he could have stopped her at any moment and refused to budge, but he figured it'd be easier to just go along with the energetic blond.
"Hm?" She turned back slightly.
"Wha- how? I mean...I don't understand..."
Taking in the somewhat panicked tone of voice, Mina took a deep breath and reminded herself to slow down and not rush things. He was uncomfortable and most likely unsure about where he stood now, as well as how he should act. He'd come a long way, but would probably feel uncomfortable and insecure until he could find his 'niche' again, she lectured herself. With these new emotions, he'd now have to deal with a whole new facet of himself and would, in essence, become a different person. This knowledge in itself was frightening, she had to admit, and the fact that he'd allowed her to help him was remarkable. If it were her, she'd scream and cry and be stubborn until she, or who ever was in the immediate vicinity, knocked herself unconscious.
'Then again,' she thought, studying android Seventeen's strong profile, 'he probably doesn't know what else to do except listen and follow ...hmph, that'll have to change.'
"Would you like to come upstairs with me for some sweets?" She asked, leaving him the choice. He hesitated.
"Uh..."
"Don't worry, it won't hurt," she giggled, "I'll tell you what. If you want, we can go give it a try, and if you don't like it, I certainly won't force it upon you."
She almost laughed aloud just thinking about it. He'd almost left none for herself, but despite that, she felt strangely happy that he'd enjoyed the chocolate so much. She had the feeling he didn't have much in life to enjoy. She sighed. She was sure he'd become a chocolate addict, if not at first taste, then definitely after the twenty some chocolate bars he'd consumed. She blushed slightly, not believing someone could eat so much sugar without becoming sick. Heck, he'd broken her record like it was nothing! Hopefully, there was a limit for the android, otherwise he'd be unstoppable. Caught up in her small fantasy involving a chocolate-hungry android rampaging through the city, she nearly missed Seventeen's wakening. Nearly.
"Hey, how ya doin' sleepy head?"
Her soft voice startled the android at first, causing him to jerk upright. A small pair of hands gently eased him back down. He grunted softly as he hit the bed, his eyes snapping open to meet Mina's smiling face.
'That's right. That girl...' He turned to look up at the steel-plated ceiling, thinking about the past events. '...she saved me.'
He felt much more composed today. More...normal he supposed the word would be, or as normal as an android could get.
When his eyes began closing once more, Mina jumped onto the bed, an action that sent the unprepared android overboard. He climbed to his knees, giving the young girl a most disgruntled look from the other side of the bed. She simply giggled.
"You should be getting up by now. We need to get ready for the new day!"
"Where are we doing?"
"Well, before you joined us, we'd been planning out training arrangements for the five of us girls and I haven't even properly introduced myself to you have I?" She suddenly realized.
"I'm Mina, from the planet Venus." She curtsied gracefully, then held out her hand in welcome, as she'd seen Bulma and the others do when they first met. He took her hand, looking mildly surprised.
"You're from another planet?" She nodded in confirmation.
"Yes. To tell you the truth, we came from a different galaxy to find strong warriors who could train us so that we'd be ready to take on the enemy back at home," she explained.
"So the meteor that crashed..."
"Was actually our spaceship," she finished for him. He looked somewhat deep in thought.
"But what help could the earthlings provide you with if they can't even defeat me or Eighteen. It's clear they're much weaker." She blushed from the indirect complement.
"Well...you see, back from where I come from, we use magic. It's passed down from mother to daughter in most cases and we are all very well trained. However, without it...well our physical abilities are...less."
"I see."
That would explain the strange ki reading. This young girl sitting before him just couldn't possibly be stronger than him. Seventeen watched the strange girl who'd saved him, who'd...befriended him with...what? Just thinking about her made his skin tingle, whether or not that was a good or bad thing he didn't know, but whenever she was near he'd feel...strange. Then again, he'd been feeling strange ever since she first...hm...anyway, Mina was her name? Cute.
A slight pressure on his back caused the android to look back. There was Mina, draped over his shoulders, her face mere inches from his. He blinked. What was she doing there?
"Hello! Venus to Seventeen. Are you there?"
He'd just stared at her, his face at point blank range. A somewhat unnerving thing, but what a face. She mentally sighed in admiration. Too bad she was currently playing babysitter. Even through the soft fabric of his shirt, she could feel the strong muscles that lay beneath them. She was promptly brought back to reality as his even voice cut through her thoughts.
"What?"
She removed herself from him and stood abruptly.
"Come on. It's time to join the others," Mina smiled, holding out her hand.
He hesitated. Where did he stand now? He still wasn't sure. He knew he owed this girl his life and loyalty, but...did that include the others? He looked up to her, hoping somehow that she could help him with his dilemma. The smile on her face wavered, her lips pursing into a pout. He looked away in shame, feelings of guilt coursing through him, but before he knew it, she was in his arms, holding him tightly. After a moment of her holding him, her hands stroking his back in a comforting manner, he returned the embrace and held onto her tightly, confused yet grateful. Unable to stop himself, he buried his face in her shining golden mane, seeking answers in the comfort she offered him. Her voice was soft and gentle when she finally spoke.
"What are you so worried about?" A hint of amusement seeped into her voice.
The android flinched slightly.
"I'm...not afraid," he answered tightly, defensively.
"I never said you were," Mina giggled quietly, moving back to study his face. Reaching out a hand, she brushed a strand of dark hair away from his face, which now wore a questioning look. She blushed.
"You're hair is so...pretty," she whispered.
"I suppose, though not more so than yours," he replied.
Mina blinked, not expecting an answer. A large grin broke out on her face.
"You think so?" He threw her an agitated look, as if repetition were sin.
"Good." Now it was the android's turn to blink as she pulled him up to his feet.
"What..."
"Come on. Everyone will love you once they see how charming you are, and if they don't..." She paused, her bright eyes glinting dangerously, "they'll have to answer to me!"
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Waking to the sound of birds chirping beneath the morning sun, Serena thought the peaceful silence and tranquility that greeted her could almost justify the foolish hope that swelled within. Foolish because she knew the odds. Her mother had always taught her never to run from the truth, that she should face up to reality. Living in denial was no way of living, not to mention it meant being a disgrace to all around you, something she could never allow. So, as she went about her habitual morning routine, she forced down the tiny spark of hope that had burned so brightly, shielding it with cold hard facts about their impossible situation in hopes of preventing it from growing any further. With time, it would eventually be squelched as quickly as it had come.
Rushing downstairs in a fairly calm state of mind, Serena turned at the sudden succession of noises coming from the kitchen, followed by a loud sigh. She smiled, easily recognizing the occupant. Walking towards the entrance, she carefully stuck her head out for a small peek. Sure enough, there was Lita in the midst of some grand work of art, no doubt. Perfect, really, since she was so hungry.
"Lita." The young chef looked up questioningly at her life-long friend and blushed.
"Uh...S-Serena," she stuttered, feeling much like the child she was when her mother had caught her trying to pick a fight with the son of a palace guard. "I was just uh helping with breakfast and, I mean, I felt obliged to repay the Briefs, so..."
"Oh, stop it. You know it's common knowledge among us that you have a cooking fetish." The tall brunette sighed.
"Common knowledge to you four..."
"As well as the many others who've experienced your culinary skills. Come on, we all know what a wonderful chef you are." There was a brief silence as Lita, her cheeks tinted a rosy red, struggled to say something to her long-time friend.
"Uh...so, what are you doing up so early?"
"Me? I could ask the same about you, you know. And it's almost 6 o clock, not nearly as early as you seem to be claiming...Well anyway, I just couldn't sleep anymore. I mean, with all the excitement you'd think we were already in war," her voice trembled slightly, "I...keep thinking about home and...everything, everybody. This has all just become so complicated since I...since we..."
She trailed off, at a loss for words to express her distress and concern. Luckily, they were all in the same proverbial 'boat' and did not need words to explain the emotions that ran through both young women; although each understood that, Lita could feel her friend's need to address the issue. She sighed for the umpteenth time that day and said the only thing that came to mind.
"Hey, let's eat!"
"Huh?"
"Come on. I made a ton of food and you must be hungry."
Smiling broadly at her somewhat confused companion, Lita hurriedly steered Serena towards the mountain of edible delights she'd created throughout the night. Now, she really was speechless as she stared in open-mouth wonder at the mass of food that covered the counter and table, and even some chairs. As Serena stared in shock, Lita laughed nervously as she fiddled with her hair.
"Uh...I was kind of bored, so I decided to cook something..."
Finally shaking off her shock, Serena giggled, a sly smile on her face.
"Is that how it is? Are you sure you weren't trying to break some sort of record set by Atrisha the Jun?" Lita bowed her head in embarrassment. Atrisha was a famous professional culinary artist back on planet Jupiter, well known for her creative dishes and impeccable sense of complementary foods. The nickname she earned was a part of her great reputation: Atrisha the Jun, which literally meant 'beautiful strength,' a name that fit the woman some men called a goddess. Well, a goddess of cuisine, not to mention Lita's most worshipped idol.
"The truth is, I needed to vent and...well, you know how I can get a bit carried away."
"Do I ever," Serena agreed heartily as she glanced at the food again, all the heaviness having been lifted from her shoulders, or so it seemed.
The two friends had just sat down at the now clean table with a few choice items when they heard a loud banging coming from the other room. Quickly getting up, Lita offered to go see who was at the door and quickly headed into the living room with Serena peering after her curiously. As the door was opened, the tall brunette quickly leapt aside to avoid the falling Yamucha, who landed with a resounding thud on his face.
"Are you alright?"
Lita quickly helped the dazed man to his feet as laughter burst forth from Krillin, who stood behind him while Puar floated above worriedly.
"Don't worry about him," Krillin said, still laughing.
"Hey, what smells so good?" Yamucha asked, sniffing the air.
"Oh, well Lita here just made breakfast. You should join us. Lita's the best cook around our side of the universe."
"Oh, no. It's nothing really. I just made a few simple things and..." she trailed off, still blushing, as the two men had already headed into the kitchen. She followed them in, noting their shocked expressions with trepidation.
"Um...I know it's probably not anything you'd be used to eating for breakfast or anything. If you want I can cook something else more to your tastes? Or maybe-" her rambling continued as Yamucha took a bite of her homemade muffins, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Hey, this is fantastic!" Krillin exclaimed after a bite.
"-something more fancy..."
"Do you mind if we dig in?"
"-or I could huh? Oh no, go ahead. Eat whatever you like. I don't think I could ever get rid of all this..." Lita mumbled, staring dumbfounded as the two sat down to eat. She was shaken from her stupor when Krillin chose to speak again.
"Oh, and don't worry about the food. It'll never go to waste around here," he laughed. Not quite understanding what he meant, the two girls exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Hey, girls. What's all the commotion?"
Standing in the doorway was Bulma in a pair of jeans and a white blouse, a curious expression on her face. She soon joined the others who were obviously enjoying themselves as they partook of the large 'breakfast' Lita had created. The young girl sat blushing heavily as a hoard of compliments were thrown her way across the table.
"Mm, wow! I'm stuffed," Yamucha declared as he leaned back in his seat.
"Yeah, me too," Bulma sighed, "I'm so envious."
"Of what?" Lita asked with a puzzled look.
"Well, when Goku and I went adventuring, we'd always eat prepackaged food, if you can call it that. At least you guys'll always have Lita here to cook something up."
"If only it were true," Serena smiled ruefully, "Lita rarely gets the chance to cook, though I suppose it makes it all the more special when she does."
"Speaking of the others, where are they?"
Bulma's casual question was answered with silence as they both fidgeted, thinking about the events from the night before.
"Girls, did you get into a fight?"
"Um...in a manner of speaking..." Lita started as Serena sighed and looked down into her lap.
"Well, I suppose you all have the right to know about last night."
"Last night?" Yamucha began to stand, "Did something happen? Did those androids--"
"Now hold on," Lita stood, her hands held up as if to ward him off, "Just sit down. Nothing happened, or perhaps I should say nobody was harmed or injured."
"You see. Yesterday, android 17 awoke and--"
"WHAT?!" Bulma shrieked. "Where is he?! I'll call Goku!"
"Bulma, please! He's being contained," Serena explained gently.
"For the moment at least," Lita mumbled.
"What about android 18?" Everyone turned to Krillin, whose face turned bright red from their scrutiny. He'd been so quiet, they'd almost forgotten about him.
"She has not awakened yet to my knowledge and was not involved in yesterday's accident."
"Accident? I thought you said--"
"Yes, yes. Forgive me. Anyway, Android 17 had awakened and blasted out of the rejuvenation tank. Coincidentally, Mina happened to be there and was caught in the blast. In his confusion, he attacked her, which is how we found the two." Here she paused as Bulma wasted no time in jumping in with a load of questions.
"So what happened? I mean you took care of him didn't you? He's gone, right? Serena?!" Seeing as the blue-haired woman was about to stand once more, Serena quickly answered, trying to appease her.
"Yes, we defeated him," another pause, "but..."
"But?"
"He hasn't been destroyed," Lita jumped in, "They, I mean we...we decided to spare him."
While Krillin looked somewhat relieved, though mostly neutral, Yamucha didn't seem to know how to react. Bulma, however, did.
"You what?! How could you? He...he's evil! They're evil!!-"
"Heh, you could say that about a certain monkey you like too..." Yamucha muttered quietly under his breath, though apparently not quiet enough as the woman rounded on him, baring her sharp tongue.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
The two girls sighed as chaos struck.
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"YAA!"
The large ball of fire-based ki shot out from slender hands as the Saiy-jin prince quickly dodged and parried with a good sized ki ball of his own. Rei quickly leapt out of the way, though to no avail as Goku struck her from behind. The three fought against each other, trying to hold their own against the other two opponents, though Rei could swear the two males were teaming up against her. However innocent Goku may have seemed to her, he was no pushover and neither was her brother; she reveled in the small spark of pride this thought inspired. Unfortunately, her straying thoughts were her down fall, literally, as she crashed into the floor, head first. She could just barely hear Goku and Vegeta land soon after, as she struggled to raise herself from the hard concrete surface.
"Hey Vegeta. I think she's had enough." She recognized Goku's deep voice as he stood over her unmoving body, casting a large shadow upon her.
"Get up," Vegeta nudged her not so gently in the ribs.
"Damn it Vegeta," she hissed in pain, "Just lay off already. You made your point!"
"Hn," He grunted, waiting as she carefully stood. "Hurry up, Kakkarot and I still have training to do."
Just as he said that, a large roar filled the room. Both Rei and Vegeta looked about in alarm as Goku laughed, smiling sheepishly.
"Actually Vegeta, I think I'm gonna have to pass. Maybe later?"
"Che, whatever." The irate prince began throwing random kicks and punches as the two headed out of the training room.
As the two exited, Goku turned to her suddenly. "Hey, how did you get Vegeta to train with you?"
"Huh, what do you mean? I just went in there," she replied simply, gesturing to the gravitation room. The Saiy-jin shook his head in disbelief, the large smile never leaving his face.
"Wow. Vegeta doesn't like to train with anyone except for me, on occasion." Rei seemed shocked.
"Really?"
"Yeah and..."
GROWL
"Uh..." Goku blushed as Rei smiled and patted him on the back.
"Go on. I think I can smell Lita's cooking."
"Uh huh," he mumbled, darting towards the kitchen, their conversation forgotten.
Rei smiled as the older man rushed to the kitchen. Heading upstairs, she pondered what he'd said. Those words had had a profound effect, striking an odd feeling within her. Was it true that he never trained with the others? If so, then was she an exception? Someone special and worthy in his eyes? She shook her head as she came to her door. She didn't understand why the need for his approval was suddenly so demanding when just a few days ago, she couldn't have cared what the ruffian had to say. There was just something odd about her older brother. A tingle ran down her spine at those words. It was ridiculous really, but just acknowledging their kinship brought her a deep sense of joy and content, one she had never felt before.
'Or one you don't remember feeling,' a tiny voice whispered.
No, maybe she was over-analyzing this. Gathering her spare clothes and the towel lent to her by Bulma, she headed towards the nearest shower. The facilities were spotless; a large tub sat in the corner of the room, curtains draping down as a source of cover. Quickly shedding her soiled clothes, Rei stepped into the tub, turning the water on hot. Soon, steam filled the shower as she drenched herself blissfully in the scalding water. As she lathered up, she couldn't help but think about her enigmatic brother again as her thoughts kept turning back to the name he'd called her that one day. It kept echoing in her head, nagging her as if therein lay a crucial importance that she couldn't grasp.
Leitanna...
She sighed. No doubt, there was always something missing with her mysterious past, but how could this...this name be a part of it? That would mean the impossible. She didn't know Vegeta all that well, but she'd thought she'd accurately read the shock on his face when she'd first revealed herself a couple nights before. Even so. What if he had known her past self? What could it mean?
'Well, one thing's for sure. If my suspicions are correct, then he's one of the greatest actors I've ever met.' She scowled as she turned to leave the steam-filled room.
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Down in the Kitchen, Lita and Serena had finally calmed things down a bit. In other words, the girls were now effectively restraining both Yamucha and Bulma as insults were thrown back and forth between the two. Krillin sat to the side, watching in amusement as Puar sat on the table munching sweets. A few minutes into the yelling competition, Goku came in and grabbed a few choice morsels, completely ignoring the screaming as he turned to leave, waving goodbye to the two girls. The argument was quickly put to an end, however, as the Saiy-jin Prince himself sauntered in upon one of Yamucha's charming remarks about a certain evil monkey. The man quickly cowered and sought refuge behind Lita as Vegeta snorted with contempt, crossing over to sit at the table. He quickly began inhaling the food before him, diminishing the small mountain that had formed literally overnight.
"Uh, seeing as you guys are all done here. I was thinking that maybe I'd just...uh..." Krillin paused as the others looked at him curiously.
"I mean maybe I should...go check up on Eighteen...you know...to make sure everything's alright and all..." The man laughed nervously, his face beet red.
"Huh?" Lita asked, not really understanding. Serena, however, quickly caught on and saved the poor man from being further embarrassed.
"Yes, that would very much be appreciated, Krillin. After all, we can never be too careful, right Lita?" Serena nudged the other girl, who nodded quickly in agreement.
"Oh yeah," the tall girl rubbed the back of her neck, mumbling as he left, "I guess..."
"Well anyway," Bulma stood from the table, grabbing hold of Yamucha in the process, "Since we're done here, we'll just be going now!"
"Hey, wait! What do you mean we? I-ouch!"
Yamucha was quickly silent as Bulma pulled him by the ear towards her lab.
"Come on, there's a lot of work to do."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Oh be quiet! I'll bet dad's already hard at work in there."
The bickering pair drifted down the hallway with Puar floating lazily behind them. The two girls shrugged and sat down at the table, watching as Vegeta shoveled food into his mouth nonstop. This continued for quite a while until the Kitchen door swung open to announce Rei's arrival. She noted the scene and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Good morning."
Rei turned and found herself on the other end of Serena's patented smile. After a moment, her lips reluctantly twitched upward as her friend's smile, on top of the morning's physical exertions, seemed to have rid her of all her pent up frustration and anger. Seeing the cold melt from her features, Lita smiled as well, standing to approach her raven-haired friend.
"Hey, why don't you join us? You can't say you're not hungry."
At this, Rei truly smiled. Out of all of them, Lita would be the best at understanding her frustration. While more levelheaded than the brunette, Rei found that the two girls often shared the same views and opinions. However, as she said, the two chose to react in drastically different ways, as shown last night. To her credit, though, Lita would never hold it against Rei. Or at least, she hadn't yet.
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Down in the lab, Krillin stood motionless before Eighteen's rejuvenation tank. His eyes roaming the features of her sharply angled face, he was silent except for the soft intake of breath.
'Wow.'
That was the first thought that entered his mind as he stared at the perfection that was Eighteen. He'd been entranced the first moment he'd seen her on the battlefield. Cool and confident, she'd been the very picture of calm. He'd watched her movements, sleek and graceful, as she stood there alone in his eyes. He was no fool. He knew how ridiculous it was really, but he just couldn't help himself. She was simply so alluring, so irresistible...
A sudden creaking noise caught his attention as a door opened on his right. He immediately took on a defensive stance as two figures emerged.
"Oh, Krillin. It's you," came a surprised voice.
He sighed in relief as Mina stepped out from the shadows, then cautiously flicked a glance towards Seventeen, who stood just behind her. He knew the android could easily kill either one of them at any time and was decidedly uncomfortable in such a situation. It was strange though. He could have sworn something was different about the bloodthirsty android. Maybe it was because he wasn't actually engaging in any violent activities at the moment. No, that wasn't it. Hmm...
"So, what are you doing down here?" Mina's voice seemed to cut through the darkness and right into his brain.
"Oh uh...you know," he smiled and let loose another nervous laugh as his face tinted red again.
He watched as one delicate brow lifted before a mischievous grin formed on the young girl's face. At the same time, he noticed android Seventeen's face had also changed from its previous impassive look, a small spark of interest now registering as Mina moved towards him, still grinning widely. Krillin was beginning to feel slightly nervous as the grin on her face began to look somewhat sadistic. He flinched as she placed her elbow onto his shoulder, faking nonchalance.
"So Krillin, I see you've taken an interest in Eighteen..." she said, immediately slipping into the role of matchmaker.
"Uh..." he began to sweat as the object of his obsession was brought into discussion.
"Oh come on! Admit it. You think she's absolutely divine, don't you?"
"What?!"
"You'd love to marry her, wouldn't you?" she continued, "Buy a house and have lots of babies-"
"No! No, I mean...I mean, aren't you going a bit too far with this?"
Mina stopped for a moment to stare seriously at the short man, who was blushing a dark crimson, and burst out into laughter. As she laughed jovially besides him, Krillin heaved a large sigh of relief. He was just about to say his farewell when he felt someone's eyes on him. Turning, he was surprised to find Seventeen's eyes riveted on him in a most disturbing way. He began to fidget as he felt the android's stare burn into him. It seemed as if he was on the verge of anger and it would be best not to push his chances, Krillin thought as he slowly backed away. Throwing a quick 'See ya' over his shoulder, he turned and made a hasty retreat, rushing out of the lab and back into the kitchen.
"Okay..."
Mina blinked at the suddenly unoccupied space beside her where Krillin had been and shrugged. It was odd, but she'd felt strangely irritated with Krillin just a moment ago. It didn't make any sense really, since she'd taken a liking to the guy from the first moment they'd met and bore him no grudges. Maybe his laugh had been the cause of her irritation? No that can't be right, and now that she thought about it, she hadn't really felt all that irritated, but...
Another feeling, similar yet stronger, flashed through her just then, before she turned about to peer at Seventeen. It was anger, jealous anger that was now tinged with slight fear. Her stomach seemed to churn as she watched Seventeen curiously. He stared back uncertainly, the tension growing. Finally...
"What is it?"
She blinked and shook her head before heading for the exit, lost in her thoughts. The android obediently followed. However, as the two reentered the kitchen, Mina was surprised to see nobody there. Even stranger, there were plates laid out on the table with food that was only half eaten or barely touched. It looked like a classic scene from "Lost," a book she'd read back home in which people had been abducted by strange beings from another universe. She sighed and wondered where the other girls were. Maybe they'd be able to reach some sort of understanding, though hopefully a better understanding than the one she and Rei shared.
Sneaking a look at Seventeen, she immediately felt guilty for her recent cold behavior. She hadn't really noticed at the time, but she now realized that she had come off as rather cold and indifferent back in the lab. She could tell he'd become slightly withdrawn again, his mask slipped firmly over his face to conceal any and all emotion. Not even any of the usual arrogance or scorn could be seen. She mentally sighed at her stupidity.
'A few hours into this and I've already erred.'
She reached out to him tentatively, hesitating when she reached his arm before enveloping it in her warm embrace. She quietly noted in the back of her mind how pleasantly muscular his arm was as he shifted to look down at her. She quickly turned to smile up at him, the look on her face gentle and almost apologetic as he continued to stare at her blankly. However neutral his face may have seemed, his surprise was obvious to her.
"Hey, how about we go sample some of Lita's cooking over there. I know I saw a bunch of chocolate desserts you'd just love."
After a few moments, the android shrugged and quietly followed her to the table. With joy, she could feel the relief that flooded him, a perfect reflection of her own relieved happiness as they sat down to snack. They hadn't sat down for long, though, when Krillin burst in and rushed to the phone.
"Krillin what's the matter?"
The small man jumped at the sound of her voice, having neglected to notice her at first in his preoccupation. He struggled to explain as he dialed the number.
"There's been some sort of attack in Ginger Town. The people have all just disappeared. Problem is that we don't have any idea what we're up against, though I can assure you that this is just the beginning. I've to get a hold of Goku! He'll be able to-hello? Can I speak to Goku? Goku, turn on the TV, channel 9. You've got to see this..."
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Um...Yeah well that's about it! See you guys in the next chapter! Oh, and if you can't figure it out already, I've decided not to pursue a relationship between Rei and Vegeta. *sigh* I'm such a softie. I just can't say no to my readers...well most of the time anyway ^_^. Sorry for the horrible wait. I know how you feel. Hopefully finals will be over soon, so that I can pick up my writing a bit. Hope you enjoyed this odd bit.
Crystal Rose ^_~
Disclaimer: I'd love to say I possess ownership of Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball Z, but then again, I'd also love to say I possess immortality.
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The Saiy-jin Scouts by Crystal Rose
~ Chapter 10 ~
Waking slowly from a deep sleep, Mina's eyes slowly fluttered open to reveal the sleeping form of Android Seventeen. Blinking in slight confusion, she looked up to find herself resting on the edge of the bed he currently occupied. She sat up and yawned, stretching luxuriously before letting out a sigh of pleasure. She rubbed her eyes wearily as she stood, overlooking the peaceful features of the android in silent admiration. Following the sharp lines of his face, she noticed a small smudge of chocolate stained the corner of his lips and thought back to the night before.
After finally calming down, having lost the ability to possibly ever laugh again, Mina had managed to sit up with a great deal of difficulty, drained from the effects of the android's humorous words. She found him looking down at the ground in a mixture of indignant anger and embarrassment. Smiling in a good-natured way, she knelt down beside him, a slight glint of mischief sparkling in her eyes. She knew just the thing! She stared into his cold eyes, her own cheerfully bright.
"Come now, cheer up! We'll go upstairs and have some sweets," she grinned as he looked up at her in a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
"Why?" This caused the young girl's eyebrows to shoot up in surprise.
"What do you mean why? Don't you want any? Unless..." she made a face, "...unless...you don't like sweets."
The android managed to look somewhat sheepish as he stood, explaining that he'd never had the pleasure of experiencing sweets.
"What in the world are sweets? I only knew of one activity that humans enjoyed so fervently...." the android mumbled under his breath, blushing as he tried to rid himself of the thought.
Hearing this, Mina's face once again split into a wide smile as she eagerly grabbed his hand and headed upstairs, babbling about it being his 'first time'.
"W-Wait!" He cried out, startled. Of course, if he'd really wanted to, he could have stopped her at any moment and refused to budge, but he figured it'd be easier to just go along with the energetic blond.
"Hm?" She turned back slightly.
"Wha- how? I mean...I don't understand..."
Taking in the somewhat panicked tone of voice, Mina took a deep breath and reminded herself to slow down and not rush things. He was uncomfortable and most likely unsure about where he stood now, as well as how he should act. He'd come a long way, but would probably feel uncomfortable and insecure until he could find his 'niche' again, she lectured herself. With these new emotions, he'd now have to deal with a whole new facet of himself and would, in essence, become a different person. This knowledge in itself was frightening, she had to admit, and the fact that he'd allowed her to help him was remarkable. If it were her, she'd scream and cry and be stubborn until she, or who ever was in the immediate vicinity, knocked herself unconscious.
'Then again,' she thought, studying android Seventeen's strong profile, 'he probably doesn't know what else to do except listen and follow ...hmph, that'll have to change.'
"Would you like to come upstairs with me for some sweets?" She asked, leaving him the choice. He hesitated.
"Uh..."
"Don't worry, it won't hurt," she giggled, "I'll tell you what. If you want, we can go give it a try, and if you don't like it, I certainly won't force it upon you."
She almost laughed aloud just thinking about it. He'd almost left none for herself, but despite that, she felt strangely happy that he'd enjoyed the chocolate so much. She had the feeling he didn't have much in life to enjoy. She sighed. She was sure he'd become a chocolate addict, if not at first taste, then definitely after the twenty some chocolate bars he'd consumed. She blushed slightly, not believing someone could eat so much sugar without becoming sick. Heck, he'd broken her record like it was nothing! Hopefully, there was a limit for the android, otherwise he'd be unstoppable. Caught up in her small fantasy involving a chocolate-hungry android rampaging through the city, she nearly missed Seventeen's wakening. Nearly.
"Hey, how ya doin' sleepy head?"
Her soft voice startled the android at first, causing him to jerk upright. A small pair of hands gently eased him back down. He grunted softly as he hit the bed, his eyes snapping open to meet Mina's smiling face.
'That's right. That girl...' He turned to look up at the steel-plated ceiling, thinking about the past events. '...she saved me.'
He felt much more composed today. More...normal he supposed the word would be, or as normal as an android could get.
When his eyes began closing once more, Mina jumped onto the bed, an action that sent the unprepared android overboard. He climbed to his knees, giving the young girl a most disgruntled look from the other side of the bed. She simply giggled.
"You should be getting up by now. We need to get ready for the new day!"
"Where are we doing?"
"Well, before you joined us, we'd been planning out training arrangements for the five of us girls and I haven't even properly introduced myself to you have I?" She suddenly realized.
"I'm Mina, from the planet Venus." She curtsied gracefully, then held out her hand in welcome, as she'd seen Bulma and the others do when they first met. He took her hand, looking mildly surprised.
"You're from another planet?" She nodded in confirmation.
"Yes. To tell you the truth, we came from a different galaxy to find strong warriors who could train us so that we'd be ready to take on the enemy back at home," she explained.
"So the meteor that crashed..."
"Was actually our spaceship," she finished for him. He looked somewhat deep in thought.
"But what help could the earthlings provide you with if they can't even defeat me or Eighteen. It's clear they're much weaker." She blushed from the indirect complement.
"Well...you see, back from where I come from, we use magic. It's passed down from mother to daughter in most cases and we are all very well trained. However, without it...well our physical abilities are...less."
"I see."
That would explain the strange ki reading. This young girl sitting before him just couldn't possibly be stronger than him. Seventeen watched the strange girl who'd saved him, who'd...befriended him with...what? Just thinking about her made his skin tingle, whether or not that was a good or bad thing he didn't know, but whenever she was near he'd feel...strange. Then again, he'd been feeling strange ever since she first...hm...anyway, Mina was her name? Cute.
A slight pressure on his back caused the android to look back. There was Mina, draped over his shoulders, her face mere inches from his. He blinked. What was she doing there?
"Hello! Venus to Seventeen. Are you there?"
He'd just stared at her, his face at point blank range. A somewhat unnerving thing, but what a face. She mentally sighed in admiration. Too bad she was currently playing babysitter. Even through the soft fabric of his shirt, she could feel the strong muscles that lay beneath them. She was promptly brought back to reality as his even voice cut through her thoughts.
"What?"
She removed herself from him and stood abruptly.
"Come on. It's time to join the others," Mina smiled, holding out her hand.
He hesitated. Where did he stand now? He still wasn't sure. He knew he owed this girl his life and loyalty, but...did that include the others? He looked up to her, hoping somehow that she could help him with his dilemma. The smile on her face wavered, her lips pursing into a pout. He looked away in shame, feelings of guilt coursing through him, but before he knew it, she was in his arms, holding him tightly. After a moment of her holding him, her hands stroking his back in a comforting manner, he returned the embrace and held onto her tightly, confused yet grateful. Unable to stop himself, he buried his face in her shining golden mane, seeking answers in the comfort she offered him. Her voice was soft and gentle when she finally spoke.
"What are you so worried about?" A hint of amusement seeped into her voice.
The android flinched slightly.
"I'm...not afraid," he answered tightly, defensively.
"I never said you were," Mina giggled quietly, moving back to study his face. Reaching out a hand, she brushed a strand of dark hair away from his face, which now wore a questioning look. She blushed.
"You're hair is so...pretty," she whispered.
"I suppose, though not more so than yours," he replied.
Mina blinked, not expecting an answer. A large grin broke out on her face.
"You think so?" He threw her an agitated look, as if repetition were sin.
"Good." Now it was the android's turn to blink as she pulled him up to his feet.
"What..."
"Come on. Everyone will love you once they see how charming you are, and if they don't..." She paused, her bright eyes glinting dangerously, "they'll have to answer to me!"
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Waking to the sound of birds chirping beneath the morning sun, Serena thought the peaceful silence and tranquility that greeted her could almost justify the foolish hope that swelled within. Foolish because she knew the odds. Her mother had always taught her never to run from the truth, that she should face up to reality. Living in denial was no way of living, not to mention it meant being a disgrace to all around you, something she could never allow. So, as she went about her habitual morning routine, she forced down the tiny spark of hope that had burned so brightly, shielding it with cold hard facts about their impossible situation in hopes of preventing it from growing any further. With time, it would eventually be squelched as quickly as it had come.
Rushing downstairs in a fairly calm state of mind, Serena turned at the sudden succession of noises coming from the kitchen, followed by a loud sigh. She smiled, easily recognizing the occupant. Walking towards the entrance, she carefully stuck her head out for a small peek. Sure enough, there was Lita in the midst of some grand work of art, no doubt. Perfect, really, since she was so hungry.
"Lita." The young chef looked up questioningly at her life-long friend and blushed.
"Uh...S-Serena," she stuttered, feeling much like the child she was when her mother had caught her trying to pick a fight with the son of a palace guard. "I was just uh helping with breakfast and, I mean, I felt obliged to repay the Briefs, so..."
"Oh, stop it. You know it's common knowledge among us that you have a cooking fetish." The tall brunette sighed.
"Common knowledge to you four..."
"As well as the many others who've experienced your culinary skills. Come on, we all know what a wonderful chef you are." There was a brief silence as Lita, her cheeks tinted a rosy red, struggled to say something to her long-time friend.
"Uh...so, what are you doing up so early?"
"Me? I could ask the same about you, you know. And it's almost 6 o clock, not nearly as early as you seem to be claiming...Well anyway, I just couldn't sleep anymore. I mean, with all the excitement you'd think we were already in war," her voice trembled slightly, "I...keep thinking about home and...everything, everybody. This has all just become so complicated since I...since we..."
She trailed off, at a loss for words to express her distress and concern. Luckily, they were all in the same proverbial 'boat' and did not need words to explain the emotions that ran through both young women; although each understood that, Lita could feel her friend's need to address the issue. She sighed for the umpteenth time that day and said the only thing that came to mind.
"Hey, let's eat!"
"Huh?"
"Come on. I made a ton of food and you must be hungry."
Smiling broadly at her somewhat confused companion, Lita hurriedly steered Serena towards the mountain of edible delights she'd created throughout the night. Now, she really was speechless as she stared in open-mouth wonder at the mass of food that covered the counter and table, and even some chairs. As Serena stared in shock, Lita laughed nervously as she fiddled with her hair.
"Uh...I was kind of bored, so I decided to cook something..."
Finally shaking off her shock, Serena giggled, a sly smile on her face.
"Is that how it is? Are you sure you weren't trying to break some sort of record set by Atrisha the Jun?" Lita bowed her head in embarrassment. Atrisha was a famous professional culinary artist back on planet Jupiter, well known for her creative dishes and impeccable sense of complementary foods. The nickname she earned was a part of her great reputation: Atrisha the Jun, which literally meant 'beautiful strength,' a name that fit the woman some men called a goddess. Well, a goddess of cuisine, not to mention Lita's most worshipped idol.
"The truth is, I needed to vent and...well, you know how I can get a bit carried away."
"Do I ever," Serena agreed heartily as she glanced at the food again, all the heaviness having been lifted from her shoulders, or so it seemed.
The two friends had just sat down at the now clean table with a few choice items when they heard a loud banging coming from the other room. Quickly getting up, Lita offered to go see who was at the door and quickly headed into the living room with Serena peering after her curiously. As the door was opened, the tall brunette quickly leapt aside to avoid the falling Yamucha, who landed with a resounding thud on his face.
"Are you alright?"
Lita quickly helped the dazed man to his feet as laughter burst forth from Krillin, who stood behind him while Puar floated above worriedly.
"Don't worry about him," Krillin said, still laughing.
"Hey, what smells so good?" Yamucha asked, sniffing the air.
"Oh, well Lita here just made breakfast. You should join us. Lita's the best cook around our side of the universe."
"Oh, no. It's nothing really. I just made a few simple things and..." she trailed off, still blushing, as the two men had already headed into the kitchen. She followed them in, noting their shocked expressions with trepidation.
"Um...I know it's probably not anything you'd be used to eating for breakfast or anything. If you want I can cook something else more to your tastes? Or maybe-" her rambling continued as Yamucha took a bite of her homemade muffins, a thoughtful look on his face.
"Hey, this is fantastic!" Krillin exclaimed after a bite.
"-something more fancy..."
"Do you mind if we dig in?"
"-or I could huh? Oh no, go ahead. Eat whatever you like. I don't think I could ever get rid of all this..." Lita mumbled, staring dumbfounded as the two sat down to eat. She was shaken from her stupor when Krillin chose to speak again.
"Oh, and don't worry about the food. It'll never go to waste around here," he laughed. Not quite understanding what he meant, the two girls exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Hey, girls. What's all the commotion?"
Standing in the doorway was Bulma in a pair of jeans and a white blouse, a curious expression on her face. She soon joined the others who were obviously enjoying themselves as they partook of the large 'breakfast' Lita had created. The young girl sat blushing heavily as a hoard of compliments were thrown her way across the table.
"Mm, wow! I'm stuffed," Yamucha declared as he leaned back in his seat.
"Yeah, me too," Bulma sighed, "I'm so envious."
"Of what?" Lita asked with a puzzled look.
"Well, when Goku and I went adventuring, we'd always eat prepackaged food, if you can call it that. At least you guys'll always have Lita here to cook something up."
"If only it were true," Serena smiled ruefully, "Lita rarely gets the chance to cook, though I suppose it makes it all the more special when she does."
"Speaking of the others, where are they?"
Bulma's casual question was answered with silence as they both fidgeted, thinking about the events from the night before.
"Girls, did you get into a fight?"
"Um...in a manner of speaking..." Lita started as Serena sighed and looked down into her lap.
"Well, I suppose you all have the right to know about last night."
"Last night?" Yamucha began to stand, "Did something happen? Did those androids--"
"Now hold on," Lita stood, her hands held up as if to ward him off, "Just sit down. Nothing happened, or perhaps I should say nobody was harmed or injured."
"You see. Yesterday, android 17 awoke and--"
"WHAT?!" Bulma shrieked. "Where is he?! I'll call Goku!"
"Bulma, please! He's being contained," Serena explained gently.
"For the moment at least," Lita mumbled.
"What about android 18?" Everyone turned to Krillin, whose face turned bright red from their scrutiny. He'd been so quiet, they'd almost forgotten about him.
"She has not awakened yet to my knowledge and was not involved in yesterday's accident."
"Accident? I thought you said--"
"Yes, yes. Forgive me. Anyway, Android 17 had awakened and blasted out of the rejuvenation tank. Coincidentally, Mina happened to be there and was caught in the blast. In his confusion, he attacked her, which is how we found the two." Here she paused as Bulma wasted no time in jumping in with a load of questions.
"So what happened? I mean you took care of him didn't you? He's gone, right? Serena?!" Seeing as the blue-haired woman was about to stand once more, Serena quickly answered, trying to appease her.
"Yes, we defeated him," another pause, "but..."
"But?"
"He hasn't been destroyed," Lita jumped in, "They, I mean we...we decided to spare him."
While Krillin looked somewhat relieved, though mostly neutral, Yamucha didn't seem to know how to react. Bulma, however, did.
"You what?! How could you? He...he's evil! They're evil!!-"
"Heh, you could say that about a certain monkey you like too..." Yamucha muttered quietly under his breath, though apparently not quiet enough as the woman rounded on him, baring her sharp tongue.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!"
The two girls sighed as chaos struck.
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"YAA!"
The large ball of fire-based ki shot out from slender hands as the Saiy-jin prince quickly dodged and parried with a good sized ki ball of his own. Rei quickly leapt out of the way, though to no avail as Goku struck her from behind. The three fought against each other, trying to hold their own against the other two opponents, though Rei could swear the two males were teaming up against her. However innocent Goku may have seemed to her, he was no pushover and neither was her brother; she reveled in the small spark of pride this thought inspired. Unfortunately, her straying thoughts were her down fall, literally, as she crashed into the floor, head first. She could just barely hear Goku and Vegeta land soon after, as she struggled to raise herself from the hard concrete surface.
"Hey Vegeta. I think she's had enough." She recognized Goku's deep voice as he stood over her unmoving body, casting a large shadow upon her.
"Get up," Vegeta nudged her not so gently in the ribs.
"Damn it Vegeta," she hissed in pain, "Just lay off already. You made your point!"
"Hn," He grunted, waiting as she carefully stood. "Hurry up, Kakkarot and I still have training to do."
Just as he said that, a large roar filled the room. Both Rei and Vegeta looked about in alarm as Goku laughed, smiling sheepishly.
"Actually Vegeta, I think I'm gonna have to pass. Maybe later?"
"Che, whatever." The irate prince began throwing random kicks and punches as the two headed out of the training room.
As the two exited, Goku turned to her suddenly. "Hey, how did you get Vegeta to train with you?"
"Huh, what do you mean? I just went in there," she replied simply, gesturing to the gravitation room. The Saiy-jin shook his head in disbelief, the large smile never leaving his face.
"Wow. Vegeta doesn't like to train with anyone except for me, on occasion." Rei seemed shocked.
"Really?"
"Yeah and..."
GROWL
"Uh..." Goku blushed as Rei smiled and patted him on the back.
"Go on. I think I can smell Lita's cooking."
"Uh huh," he mumbled, darting towards the kitchen, their conversation forgotten.
Rei smiled as the older man rushed to the kitchen. Heading upstairs, she pondered what he'd said. Those words had had a profound effect, striking an odd feeling within her. Was it true that he never trained with the others? If so, then was she an exception? Someone special and worthy in his eyes? She shook her head as she came to her door. She didn't understand why the need for his approval was suddenly so demanding when just a few days ago, she couldn't have cared what the ruffian had to say. There was just something odd about her older brother. A tingle ran down her spine at those words. It was ridiculous really, but just acknowledging their kinship brought her a deep sense of joy and content, one she had never felt before.
'Or one you don't remember feeling,' a tiny voice whispered.
No, maybe she was over-analyzing this. Gathering her spare clothes and the towel lent to her by Bulma, she headed towards the nearest shower. The facilities were spotless; a large tub sat in the corner of the room, curtains draping down as a source of cover. Quickly shedding her soiled clothes, Rei stepped into the tub, turning the water on hot. Soon, steam filled the shower as she drenched herself blissfully in the scalding water. As she lathered up, she couldn't help but think about her enigmatic brother again as her thoughts kept turning back to the name he'd called her that one day. It kept echoing in her head, nagging her as if therein lay a crucial importance that she couldn't grasp.
Leitanna...
She sighed. No doubt, there was always something missing with her mysterious past, but how could this...this name be a part of it? That would mean the impossible. She didn't know Vegeta all that well, but she'd thought she'd accurately read the shock on his face when she'd first revealed herself a couple nights before. Even so. What if he had known her past self? What could it mean?
'Well, one thing's for sure. If my suspicions are correct, then he's one of the greatest actors I've ever met.' She scowled as she turned to leave the steam-filled room.
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Down in the Kitchen, Lita and Serena had finally calmed things down a bit. In other words, the girls were now effectively restraining both Yamucha and Bulma as insults were thrown back and forth between the two. Krillin sat to the side, watching in amusement as Puar sat on the table munching sweets. A few minutes into the yelling competition, Goku came in and grabbed a few choice morsels, completely ignoring the screaming as he turned to leave, waving goodbye to the two girls. The argument was quickly put to an end, however, as the Saiy-jin Prince himself sauntered in upon one of Yamucha's charming remarks about a certain evil monkey. The man quickly cowered and sought refuge behind Lita as Vegeta snorted with contempt, crossing over to sit at the table. He quickly began inhaling the food before him, diminishing the small mountain that had formed literally overnight.
"Uh, seeing as you guys are all done here. I was thinking that maybe I'd just...uh..." Krillin paused as the others looked at him curiously.
"I mean maybe I should...go check up on Eighteen...you know...to make sure everything's alright and all..." The man laughed nervously, his face beet red.
"Huh?" Lita asked, not really understanding. Serena, however, quickly caught on and saved the poor man from being further embarrassed.
"Yes, that would very much be appreciated, Krillin. After all, we can never be too careful, right Lita?" Serena nudged the other girl, who nodded quickly in agreement.
"Oh yeah," the tall girl rubbed the back of her neck, mumbling as he left, "I guess..."
"Well anyway," Bulma stood from the table, grabbing hold of Yamucha in the process, "Since we're done here, we'll just be going now!"
"Hey, wait! What do you mean we? I-ouch!"
Yamucha was quickly silent as Bulma pulled him by the ear towards her lab.
"Come on, there's a lot of work to do."
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Oh be quiet! I'll bet dad's already hard at work in there."
The bickering pair drifted down the hallway with Puar floating lazily behind them. The two girls shrugged and sat down at the table, watching as Vegeta shoveled food into his mouth nonstop. This continued for quite a while until the Kitchen door swung open to announce Rei's arrival. She noted the scene and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Good morning."
Rei turned and found herself on the other end of Serena's patented smile. After a moment, her lips reluctantly twitched upward as her friend's smile, on top of the morning's physical exertions, seemed to have rid her of all her pent up frustration and anger. Seeing the cold melt from her features, Lita smiled as well, standing to approach her raven-haired friend.
"Hey, why don't you join us? You can't say you're not hungry."
At this, Rei truly smiled. Out of all of them, Lita would be the best at understanding her frustration. While more levelheaded than the brunette, Rei found that the two girls often shared the same views and opinions. However, as she said, the two chose to react in drastically different ways, as shown last night. To her credit, though, Lita would never hold it against Rei. Or at least, she hadn't yet.
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Down in the lab, Krillin stood motionless before Eighteen's rejuvenation tank. His eyes roaming the features of her sharply angled face, he was silent except for the soft intake of breath.
'Wow.'
That was the first thought that entered his mind as he stared at the perfection that was Eighteen. He'd been entranced the first moment he'd seen her on the battlefield. Cool and confident, she'd been the very picture of calm. He'd watched her movements, sleek and graceful, as she stood there alone in his eyes. He was no fool. He knew how ridiculous it was really, but he just couldn't help himself. She was simply so alluring, so irresistible...
A sudden creaking noise caught his attention as a door opened on his right. He immediately took on a defensive stance as two figures emerged.
"Oh, Krillin. It's you," came a surprised voice.
He sighed in relief as Mina stepped out from the shadows, then cautiously flicked a glance towards Seventeen, who stood just behind her. He knew the android could easily kill either one of them at any time and was decidedly uncomfortable in such a situation. It was strange though. He could have sworn something was different about the bloodthirsty android. Maybe it was because he wasn't actually engaging in any violent activities at the moment. No, that wasn't it. Hmm...
"So, what are you doing down here?" Mina's voice seemed to cut through the darkness and right into his brain.
"Oh uh...you know," he smiled and let loose another nervous laugh as his face tinted red again.
He watched as one delicate brow lifted before a mischievous grin formed on the young girl's face. At the same time, he noticed android Seventeen's face had also changed from its previous impassive look, a small spark of interest now registering as Mina moved towards him, still grinning widely. Krillin was beginning to feel slightly nervous as the grin on her face began to look somewhat sadistic. He flinched as she placed her elbow onto his shoulder, faking nonchalance.
"So Krillin, I see you've taken an interest in Eighteen..." she said, immediately slipping into the role of matchmaker.
"Uh..." he began to sweat as the object of his obsession was brought into discussion.
"Oh come on! Admit it. You think she's absolutely divine, don't you?"
"What?!"
"You'd love to marry her, wouldn't you?" she continued, "Buy a house and have lots of babies-"
"No! No, I mean...I mean, aren't you going a bit too far with this?"
Mina stopped for a moment to stare seriously at the short man, who was blushing a dark crimson, and burst out into laughter. As she laughed jovially besides him, Krillin heaved a large sigh of relief. He was just about to say his farewell when he felt someone's eyes on him. Turning, he was surprised to find Seventeen's eyes riveted on him in a most disturbing way. He began to fidget as he felt the android's stare burn into him. It seemed as if he was on the verge of anger and it would be best not to push his chances, Krillin thought as he slowly backed away. Throwing a quick 'See ya' over his shoulder, he turned and made a hasty retreat, rushing out of the lab and back into the kitchen.
"Okay..."
Mina blinked at the suddenly unoccupied space beside her where Krillin had been and shrugged. It was odd, but she'd felt strangely irritated with Krillin just a moment ago. It didn't make any sense really, since she'd taken a liking to the guy from the first moment they'd met and bore him no grudges. Maybe his laugh had been the cause of her irritation? No that can't be right, and now that she thought about it, she hadn't really felt all that irritated, but...
Another feeling, similar yet stronger, flashed through her just then, before she turned about to peer at Seventeen. It was anger, jealous anger that was now tinged with slight fear. Her stomach seemed to churn as she watched Seventeen curiously. He stared back uncertainly, the tension growing. Finally...
"What is it?"
She blinked and shook her head before heading for the exit, lost in her thoughts. The android obediently followed. However, as the two reentered the kitchen, Mina was surprised to see nobody there. Even stranger, there were plates laid out on the table with food that was only half eaten or barely touched. It looked like a classic scene from "Lost," a book she'd read back home in which people had been abducted by strange beings from another universe. She sighed and wondered where the other girls were. Maybe they'd be able to reach some sort of understanding, though hopefully a better understanding than the one she and Rei shared.
Sneaking a look at Seventeen, she immediately felt guilty for her recent cold behavior. She hadn't really noticed at the time, but she now realized that she had come off as rather cold and indifferent back in the lab. She could tell he'd become slightly withdrawn again, his mask slipped firmly over his face to conceal any and all emotion. Not even any of the usual arrogance or scorn could be seen. She mentally sighed at her stupidity.
'A few hours into this and I've already erred.'
She reached out to him tentatively, hesitating when she reached his arm before enveloping it in her warm embrace. She quietly noted in the back of her mind how pleasantly muscular his arm was as he shifted to look down at her. She quickly turned to smile up at him, the look on her face gentle and almost apologetic as he continued to stare at her blankly. However neutral his face may have seemed, his surprise was obvious to her.
"Hey, how about we go sample some of Lita's cooking over there. I know I saw a bunch of chocolate desserts you'd just love."
After a few moments, the android shrugged and quietly followed her to the table. With joy, she could feel the relief that flooded him, a perfect reflection of her own relieved happiness as they sat down to snack. They hadn't sat down for long, though, when Krillin burst in and rushed to the phone.
"Krillin what's the matter?"
The small man jumped at the sound of her voice, having neglected to notice her at first in his preoccupation. He struggled to explain as he dialed the number.
"There's been some sort of attack in Ginger Town. The people have all just disappeared. Problem is that we don't have any idea what we're up against, though I can assure you that this is just the beginning. I've to get a hold of Goku! He'll be able to-hello? Can I speak to Goku? Goku, turn on the TV, channel 9. You've got to see this..."
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Um...Yeah well that's about it! See you guys in the next chapter! Oh, and if you can't figure it out already, I've decided not to pursue a relationship between Rei and Vegeta. *sigh* I'm such a softie. I just can't say no to my readers...well most of the time anyway ^_^. Sorry for the horrible wait. I know how you feel. Hopefully finals will be over soon, so that I can pick up my writing a bit. Hope you enjoyed this odd bit.
Crystal Rose ^_~
