Chapter 12: Trust
3rd POV
Rina climbed onto the bed and curled up into a ball. So many emotions had seemed to have frozen her on the outside.
"Rina, are you okay?" Vegeta asked. She didn't respond, or even acknowledge that he was there.
"Rina."
"What?"
"You're not hearing me. I asked you if you were okay."
"Well, I'm not."
Vegeta sat next to her, but that only made her tense up more. She was so tiny that her bones were sticking out of her clothes. It would take a while to gain that lost weight back.
"You need to sleep… you've been through a lot."
She knew he was right, but sleeping was the last thing on her mind. She shook her head.
"I can't… if I do… I'll see P'reel and Moon… among other things."
"Who's P'reel?"
"P'reel was my wolf back home." she said, speaking instead of using the Saiyan mind link.
"What happened to him?"
"My father… just like everything else…"
"Your father? He beat you too?"
"It was not as bad as it sounds. It was for training mostly. But sometimes… the ale would make him mad. My brother and sister got it worse than me. They were only pups… so they did not know better." Vegeta saw her shut her eyes tight trying to hold back more tears that threatened to spill, "If I tried to stop him… he would beat all of us. Mother was useless…"
"Your siblings were your hope, weren't they?" he asked.
"Yes. I wanted to keep them safe from Frieza."
"No one was safe from Frieza." Vegeta growled, forgetting himself.
"Bastard…"
Rina's voice was so broken and low, like she wasn't even there. She was so exhausted, but she was fighting sleep for her own reasons.
"What happened to P'reel?"
"We were playing in the yard… wrestling. Papa was drunk again. He slapped me, and P'reel bit him." She was shaking with sobs again as she stared at the wall. It looked to Vegeta like she saw something he didn't, "Papa… blasted him. P'reel was protecting me… one shot… through the chest. Wolves and the Red Wolf Clan are supposed to be united as one."
"You were really close to this wolf?" Vegeta asked her. She actually smiled.
"Yes. We were Teela-hreths. We caused all kinds of trouble… though no minded it. The one time… second time we were behaving…"
(Best friends)
Rina closed her eyes and sighed, trying to steady herself. She was so tired that she was on the razor's edge of sleep. She snapped her eyes open quickly, trying to stay awake.
"Rina, rest. Sleep." Vegeta smoothed out her hair, but she didn't respond to his touch. She was still just as tense. Vegeta began to scratch her sweet spot again. She moaned as she leaned in, getting Vegeta to hit the spot just right. She was still in a ball, but relaxed and nearly deep asleep already.
"Vegeta…"
"Yes?" he stopped scratching.
"Earth… is not so bad." that was it, she was out. Her rhythmical breathing assured the prince as he made his way back to the hall.
Vegeta clicked the door shut and turned to see Goku, still in the hall waiting.
"Still here Kakorot? Rina is fine now." Vegeta walked past him.
"I'm more worried about you." Goku said, following Vegeta back toward the animal house,
"Me? There is nothing wrong with me."
"You're not acting like yourself. It isn't a bad change, it's just odd. I'm worried about you, Vegeta."
Vegeta stopped and turned his head to face Goku.
"Odd? I think I have every right to act odd after what we went through." Goku cocked an eyebrow up, and Vegeta sighed in annoyance, "Clown. I was turned evil, I sacrificed myself for earth, and then I was brought back and fused with you. If I am not aloud to act odd after all that, no one is." Vegeta grumbled.
"I see." Goku replied.
"When I became Majin… I allowed you to believe I chose to be so. That was true, but not completely. My pride wanted the power… no matter what. Then when I saw how powerful Buu really was… I knew I had to repent by destroying it no matter what. I had to… because…"
Vegeta really didn't know how to say it without sounding pathetic. But Goku, who was known for giving corny lines a nice punch, did it for him.
"You had opened your eyes to the truth." Goku said. Vegeta nodded in response.
"Rina is only a child, and when I was her age I went through the same thing she did. And now that my eyes are open, I see that she needs my help. Now are you going to help me bury that wolf or shall we go sit under a tree and talk about our feelings some more?"
Goku half-smiled and nodded. That sounded more like the Vegeta he knew.
XxX
1st POV
Morning
For the first time, I woke up feeling like I had rested well. I sat up and stretched, yawning loudly.
It wasn't a happy morning though. I heard my brothers howling again, and I was reminded on the previous night.
I got up and walked to the animal house. Grief was best shared, as I had seen here lately.
Vegeta and Kakorot weren't angry… they… they do care… they… don't hate me… they really don't…
I stepped into the wolf area and went to the tree. The fresh ground was right there, and the Saiyan symbol for my clan was drawn on a large stone, what humans call the head stone. I sat down next to the grave as my brothers joined me. They howled, and I joined them. I sang a wordless song, just like the wolves. All was quiet except for my brothers and me singing for our dead mother.
Tears streaked down my face, but I ignored them as I sang out my soul. Frieza was dead, so singing was mine once more. Emotions wouldn't be held in or hidden any longer.
This is for you, Moon and P'reel…
My brothers came around me, seeking comfort from me. I didn't take that well. I wasn't one to give comfort.
"I am not your family. You are only brothers in name… you best stay away from me. Everyone I have ever cared for is dead, including your mother. Our mother…" I broke down again, but Rit, Garu, and Biress didn't leave. Instead, they got even closer, nuzzling into me. I returned their affection.
"I guess you do not care. Good, because I need you to not care... I need this… affection… I have not seen it since I was a pup."
I got up and looked up to the skylight. The sun was bright. It seemed to be shining on a new day. Somehow I felt like I needed to be closer to the sun, so I flew up to the sunlight. I looked down and saw all of the trees and the cut off areas. I saw the area that the cat must have come from.
I looked back up to the window and touched the glass, pushing it open and going around closing it.
I stood out on the roof and felt the warm sunshine for the first time since I watched the SSJ sparring session.
It was an odd sight before me. I had never seen such a populated city. I thought our cities on planet Vegeta were crowded, but this was amazing. Over 1million people in such a small place and it all looked nice. I knew better than to believe it was a utopia, but it looked nice. Cars flew by and the usual scent of smog that comes from populated cities was barely registered.
It was nice. I wasn't use to nice. The sun warmed my bare skin and a breeze blew my hair back. I was only wearing my stretch suit, which was more like the type of thing gymnasts wear, with the arms bare and legs covered.
Vegeta gave me all he knew of earth in that instant when we met. Even then… did he plan for me to be with him like this? Almost a daughter? It's nice…
Pain gripped my abdomen, and I clutched it, nearly slipping to my knees.
I… I can't move… do I… call for help? Who would hear me…?
"Vegeta…"
The pain was growing steadily worse, like being punched repeatedly in the stomach with spiked knuckles.
"Vegeta… please… hurry… make it stop."
As I stood there, the pain took a leap in severity. I couldn't stand it and I slipped to one knee, holding my stomach with both arms wrapped around.
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I forced my eyes open to see who it was. Black orbs and black flames. It was Vegeta.
"Thank Syreena you heard me." I half-smiled. Vegeta grunted.
"What is it?" he asked.
"What does it look like?" I growled from the pain more than anything.
"Can you stand?"
"I cannot move on my own, I tried." Vegeta didn't hesitate to lift me up in his arms bridal style. I still held my stomach as he walked back inside from the stairwell.
"You aren't in fever yet, which is good. It will make this easier."
"Make what easier?"
"My mate thinks she knows a way to help you. It involves exploratory surgery, but if she's right then this will be the last time you ever feel this pain."
"Surgery?" my voice broke, and this wasn't from the pain. I was terrified.
"Rina, trust me. Trust my mate. She's a genius."
"The list of people I trust is short… but if you are there with me…"
"I'll never stray so far as I can't see you. I'll be right there with you the entire time."
"Okay…"
I still wasn't sure about this, but if Vegeta was there, I felt deep down that nothing would go wrong.
Vegeta took me back to my room and placed me on the bed.
"You'll have to live with the pain for a while still. We need to prepare." Vegeta turned to leave and got to the door.
"Vegeta? I… I do not want to be alone for very long…" he smirked and nodded.
"I will not be gone long."
AS22: oh no! will Rina be alright? review and find out!
NEXT TIME: Rina's past haunts her as she lays in wait for her surgery
