Chapter Five
"So, you want to examine my brother?" Saiai asked doubtfully.
Bulma nodded, though she wasn't positive Saiai has understood everything she'd been told. The girl loved her brother very much, that was obvious. But she didn't seem to 'get' simple things. Bulma had to break everything down into very simple terms before Saiai had grasped the full concept of what Bulma meant. And even then, Bulma wasn't sure Saiai completely understood. "Yes. I'd like to, to see if we can find a way to weaken Juunana-guu and Juuhachi-guu. Anything would help us at this point."
Saiai thought for a while, staring into space before she looked at Bulma again. "Who are these Z Fighters? I've met Gohan and Piccolo already, but who else is there?"
"There's my son Trunks, who should be back soon. His father Vegeta, although he won't admit he fights on our side. Gohan's father, Goku, fought with us in the beginning, but he died of a heart disease. Yamcha was killed about a month ago. Tien and Choatzu are training up north. Krillin is training at Master Roshi's," Bulma explained. "They have all been training so hard, and yet the androids keep winning. Which is why we need your brother. If you'll let us. It may be our last hope against them," Bulma pleaded
"I don't know. I don't want him hurt. He's all I have. I can't lose him. But the rest of humanity... I don't know. I have to think about it," Saiai replied. "Can you watch him for awhile? I need to think." Bulma nodded. "Thanks. I really appreciate it." Saiai stood up from the table and walked out the back door into the twilight. She stood at the edge of the forest, staring into the sunset.
"Tough decision?" a semi-familiar voice asked from behind her. She turned and was surprised to see Piccolo standing there.
"Well, yeah. I mean, I don't the androids to continue destroying the world. But according to Bulma, I'd have to lose my brother. And there's the chance that if I said yes, Bulma may not learn anything anyway. So I could lose him and the androids wouldn't be weakened at all." *He must think I'm really out of it. I barely know him and I'm pouring it all out to him.* she thought to herself.
"Sometimes the possible result is enough to take the risk. You have to decide what is more important: The chance to save what's left of your race, or to save one life and your happiness," Piccolo said, laying it out plain and simple for her.
Saiai sighed and sat down on the ground. "I suppose you're right. What's one life compared to the rest of the human race? And I guess, since he's not even really alive, it's not like he's losing his life." Saiai sighed heavily, slightly confused. I don't know. I don't know what to do. Piccolo, what would you do?" she looked up at Piccolo expectantly.
Piccolo looked down at the girl, sitting on the ground. He was slightly surprised she asked him, but he hid the surprise. He imagined himself in the situation with Gohan, since he'd never had any real family. "I'd probably be doing exactly what you're doing. Running all the possibilities through my head to figure out if the risk was really needed. Why?"
"Because I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. People always tell me I'm slow in the head or I won't ever understand anything or do anything right. When my parents were killed, my friends told me I'd do a terrible job raising my brother and he'd grow up to be a screwy psycho path. I'm afraid I'm going to do something wrong," Saiai admitted, somehow comfortable with the idea of talking to a 7 foot tall green alien. She looked up at him and almost smiled. Somehow he was putting her at east.
"Are you slow in the head?"
"Well, I guess I am a little bit. It takes me longer to understand things. And I have problems explaining things and stuff. But I'm not doing a bad job raising my brother. I'm trying as hard as I can," Saiai told Piccolo.
"Well, you appear to be doing an adequate job. You worry too much. You need to have more faith in yourself," Piccolo replied, slightly on edge. This conversation was odd. He'd never had one like this before. Even with Gohan, he'd never said more than a few words. Saiai was different somehow.
"I guess, but I'm still worried. And when the androids came back, I tried so hard to protect him, but that android, Juunana-guu or something, just shoved me away like I was nothing. If you and Gohan hadn't shown up then, I don't know what would have happened. Thank you." She smiled gratefully. She stood up and put her arms around Piccolo, thanking him and crying at the same time.
He stared down at the girl, shocked. There were only two people who had ever dared hug him, and she was neither Goku nor Gohan. He wasn't sure how to react. If it had been Goku latched onto him, Piccolo would have simply shoved him away. He would have done the same with Gohan, maybe slightly gentler. But as Saiai clung to him, tears streaming down her face and soaking his shirt, he had no urge to push her away. He wanted to comfort her, but wasn't sure how. He laid a hand on her shoulder awkwardly, saying nothing.
She stood there for nearly twenty minutes, sobbing quietly, arms wrapped around Piccolo. As her tears subsided, she let go and wiped her eyes. She looked up at Piccolo, and smiled. "Thank you," she said again. She turned and walked back into Capsule Corp.
Piccolo glanced behind him and sighed. "Yes, Gohan?" Piccolo knew Gohan had been watching for some time. He was going to ask questions.
"Um, Piccolo-san... Was that girl hugging you?" Gohan asked, as he crawled out of the bushes.
"Yes."
"Was she crying, too?"
"Yes."
"She was crying and hugging you?"
"Yes."
Gohan was silent for a minute. He'd just seen a side of Piccolo then even Gohan didn't know existed. Piccolo had let Saiai hug him. And her crying hadn't seemed to irritate him. He made a face. He just realized Piccolo had let a girl touch him. The image Gohan had seen just wasn't right. Piccolo and a girl was weird. "Piccolo, why?"
"She was upset. I was there."
"But, Piccolo, you're... she's... you can't... You don't let anyone hug you. Not even me." Gohan was very confused. He's asexual alien mentor appeared to like a human girl. *This is way past weird.* he decided. "Piccolo, why did you let her hug you?"
"I told you, Gohan. She was upset. Don't make me repeat myself," Piccolo said, trying to silence Gohan.
"But, you never try to help someone that's upset. Are you okay?" Gohan asked, confused and worried.
"I'm fine. Drop it Gohan." Piccolo refused to answer questions when he himself didn't really understand his actions.
Chapter Six
"Stop! Where are you going?" Trunks asked, as he floated in front of Juuhachi-guu and Juunana-guu.
"I was wondering when you'd quit hiding behind us and fight. We're going to your house. Sorry we didn't call first," Juuhachi-guu replied. Trunks had been following them for a couple hours, but he wasn't stupid. He knew he couldn't beat them, especially alone. This further confirmed Juuhachi's thoughts that the two humans who'd been rescued were important.
"You have no reason to go there. You've already destroyed half of it," Trunks said, hoping to delay them as much as possible. He had to give his friends more time.
"Maybe the rest needs to come down now." Juunana-guu smirked. "Why are you here? You can't possibly think that your pitiful amount of training so far is enough to stop us."
"Maybe it isn't, but I can try to stop you. This is my world, my family. You have no reason to destroy it. They've never done anything to you. Goku's already gone. Geru's gone, thanks to you two. Why kill more people?" Trunks asked, stalling for time.
"It's a game. Between us," Juuhachi-guu replied, indicating herself and her brother.
"A game? What kind of game?" Trunks replied suspiciously.
"We keep score. Of deaths. Whoever has the highest number when we get tired of playing with you and your friends wins them game," Juunana-guu explained with a smirk.
"You play games with people's lives? You really are sick," Trunks said with disgust.
"You want to insult us, you better be ready to defend your words. Or would rather float there and try to buy more time for you pathetic plan?" Juuhachi smirked.
"Plan?" Trunks asked in surprise. *How did they find out?* he asked himself silently. "What plan?"
"You lie so poorly. It's unfortunate for you that your father didn't pass on compulsive lying. We know about your plan. It's not going to work," Juuhachi-guu told Trunks.
He cursed to himself. *Damn it! Well, whether they know or not, we still need more time. I can still stall. Bluff.* "Why not? I think it's a full-proof plan. Everyone involved does. We know it will be a fatal blow to you two. You will fall. We will dispose of your ashes in the trash compactor, and then rebuild what you've destroyed. Your reign of terror ends today." Trunks prayed that the few fights he'd had side-by-side with Vegeta had rubbed off some techniques, preferably bluffing at the moment.
Juuhachi-guu's eyes flickered slightly, but she kept up her bluff as well. "Right. Your pathetic army will beat us."
Chapter Seven
The liquid Bulma had given Taka was taking effect. He laid down on the couch and closed his eyes for the last time. Saiai struggled to keep her eyes from over flowing. "I love you honey. Always and forever you'll be in my heart," she whispered as she watched his body go limp. She lost the battle of tears. She stood up and walked away, trying to stop the tears from running down her face. She'd just lost the only one she had left. She went outside to think about the fact that she really didn't have anyone now. The androids had killed her parents. They'd killed her grandparents, too. And now her brother had to die so they could be defeated. Her hands balled into fists. Deep inside her, there was a burning hatred for them. They had destroyed everything she loved. Her friends were gone. Her family was gone. And still the androids walked the Earth, hurting others. She tried to tell herself it wasn't their fault, that's what they'd been programmed to do. But inside, she still hated them. Trying to calm herself, she sat down and leaned against a tree, staring into the sky.
"You're strong," a gruff voice said. Saiai looked around and saw Piccolo on the other side of the tree.
"Strong? How? I'm sitting here crying." She was surprised she hadn't noticed Piccolo. She must have been really upset. A tall green alien was hard to miss.
"Sacrificing your brother, when you aren't positive of the results. Very few would be able to do that," Piccolo explained.
"But did I do the right thing? I don't have anyone. My whole family is gone now. I'm alone. There's no reason for me. My brother was the only reason I kept going. I couldn't leave him. Not in this world. But now, he's gone. And you guys have your little experiments you want to do on him. I shouldn't be here anymore. I'll just be a burden. I'm leaving in the morning," Saiai told him, depressed.
Piccolo's eyes flickered in the darkness. He couldn't understand why, but he didn't want her to leave. Something inside him wanted her to stay. "I doubt Bulma would mind if you stay. You said it yourself. You have no where to go. Bulma's not the kind of person to send you out into nothingness."
Saiai shook her head. "No, I couldn't stay. I'd just be a bother. Another mouth to feed. I don't want to be a problem. You seem to have enough of those anyway with the androids." She smiles ruefully. "You don't need me adding to them."
"You're in danger, you realize that, don't you? The androids saw Gohan and I rescue you. They're not stupid. They realize something is important about you two. Would you like me to explain what will happen if they find you?" Piccolo was very confused with himself. He'd never cared about someone like this. It was unsettling to him. Very unsettling.
Saiai smiled inside. It was nice to have someone try to protect her, although she wasn't sure why Piccolo was doing this. "Well, no, I didn't know I was in danger, but I guess you're right. Maybe I'll stay longer. I don't know." She was silent for a few minutes, then looked up at Piccolo. "Anyway, it doesn't matter right now. I'm going to bed." Saiai stood up and hugged Piccolo tightly before she headed inside.
Piccolo watched her walk away. A curtain near the door fluttered and he caught a glimpse of Gohan behind it. *That kid's getting as bad as Yajarobi, hiding and spying all the time.* he thought.
Gohan ventured out as Saiai closed the back door. "Piccolo?" he asked tentatively.
"What?"
"Did she just hug you again?"
"Yes."
"She wasn't crying this time . . . "
"She'd already done that."
"Piccolo . . . Um, this may be a personal question . . . But, do you, um, care about her?" There. Gohan had finally gotten the courage to ask. Now all he had to do was pray to Dende that his mentor didn't throw him across the forest for it.
Piccolo stayed silent. He had known it would only be a matter of time before Gohan asked. He was unsure of how to answer though. He'd never cared about someone in the way Gohan meant. He didn't know what it felt like. But at the same time, he wasn't sure how he felt about Saiai. His actions confused him. *I can't.* he thought to himself. *She's a human female. She's supposed to be nothing to me.*
"Piccolo?" Gohan asked again. "Do you like her? It's not bad if ya do," Gohan said, trying to take some pressure of Piccolo.
Piccolo didn't say anything. He looked down at Gohan, his eyes saying he wasn't sure, without admitting it aloud. He laid his hand on Gohan's shoulder. "You should get to bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day." He turned and lifted off toward the mountains.
Chapter Eight
Juunana-guu was becoming impatient. Trunks's attempts to delay them were adding proof to his sister's claims. The two humans obviously were important, but how important? He knew his sister was bluffing, but he couldn't tell is Trunks was, or if so, how much was a bluff.
Trunks watched the pair carefully. At this moment, there were two things that could happen. The androids would head toward Capsule Corp and Trunks would be forced to fight them to but more time. Or, the androids would believe his lie and go somewhere to plan. Trunks hoped they choose the second option, he wasn't really in the mood to be beaten senseless.
*Juuhachi-guu, back to Geru's lab. If what he's saying is true, we can't just walk in.* Juunana-guu told his sister telepathically so Trunks couldn't hear.
Trunks watched silently. It was obvious they were discussing something. He wishes he knew what they were saying.
Suddenly, Juuhachi-guu got a look of annoyance on her face, and took off back toward Geru's lab. Juunana-guu turned to Trunks. Trunks stared into his lifeless blue eyes, looking for anything. Juunana-guu said nothing and took off after his sister.