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Threnody = Verse02: Changeover
Author = Gabriyel Crowwe [gabriyel@planetnamek.org]
Website = http://gabriyel.artshost.com/dbz
=====
Prelude
+
Piccolo was laying on Mrianna's bed, asleep. One long-nailed
hand was resting on his heaving chest, sweat on every speck of skin as
his organs and bones rearranged themselves. His skin had paled, and was
in the middle of changing to a white-peach colour, his other hand had
grasped hold of the blanket by his waist, clenching it into a tight
fist. His antennae had completely disappeared, as had the patches of
pale pinkish tan overlying where his once Namekjin muscles had been.
Bejiita sat on the end of the bed, elbows on his knees and
hands folded together tightly as he stared at his reflection in the
mirror. He glared at himself, eyes already a dark hazel. His hairline
had grown in where it had once been receded, making his forehead look
more regular. His hair had fallen down straight to his back, reaching
midway down his spine. His skin remained tanned, but the agony of his
organs changing inside his lithe body had made him paler and sweating.
Would he become himself again? When they returned to their
original universe, where Saiyajin and Namekjin existed?
If they returned.
Gokuu entered, much in the same condition as himself. His
hands were stuffed into his pockets, black hair straightened and
falling about his head in a very messy manner. He looked at Bejiita
with sympathetic dark brown eyes, lips held together tightly so much
that the skin on them blanched.
Bejiita looked up to him, eyes harsh and just as stony as
before, but without the metallic black. "I don't need your pity."
Gokuu looked over to the ailing Piccolo, shrugging, speech
reverting to Japanese. "Gabriyel seems pretty worried about us. Odd,
ne? She doesn't even know us ..."
"She likes the Green Bean," Bejiita snarled, also in Japanese.
"She's nothing but a weak child."
Gokuu rubbed the back of his neck. "Kinda weird though. Mrianna
is nursing over Gohan as if she were his mother--"
"Or a girlfriend?" Bejiita asked slyly. "If it weren't for the
age difference they would be swooning over each other."
Gokuu turned red. "Hai ... I know what you mean. Maybe even
Lilith too. They made tea and coffee ... you want to come downstairs?"
Bejiita glanced at his reflection in the mirror before standing
and folding his arms over his chest. "I'll come. It's better than being
stuck in this pigsty."
"Yeah ... Mrianna needs to clean up," Gokuu chuckled, as he
left the room, door still open. Bejiita took hold of it in his left
hand, scanning the room, then his gaze redirected itself to Piccolo's
fallen body. Bejiita 'harrumphed' before turning and leaving the room,
shutting the door rather loudly behind him.
+
End Prelude
=====
I glanced up at the sight of movement in the corner of my eye,
then back down to the picture I was sketching, realising it was only
Gokuu and Bejiita, heading for the kitchen. I heard a snarl from
Bejiita, most definitely directed towards me. Then I heard the phone
ring, and Mrianna obviously answered it.
Amazing ... people really could get through the phone lines.
Usually Mrianna or Justin were on the computer, specifically the
Internet.
I was sitting in the living room, Lilith sitting beside me. We
were both drawing, I continued to glance up at her artwork, marvelling
at the excellent line-work. Why do all my friends draw better than me?
"Gabe! Phone!"
I reluctantly set down the clipboard and pencil I was drawing
with, stood and headed to the computer room. Odd enough, Mrianna had a
phone by her computer, and always had. I think Justin put it there, he
used the phone a lot, often in conjunction with the time he spent at
the computer. I took it from her hand and turned the volume down on
the music playing from the computer speakers.
"Hullo?" I queried.
"Honey, when do you plan on coming home?" came my mother's
voice. I glanced at the clock. Ten thirty. My mother seriously did not
give me a fair curfew ...
"Just a second," I answered before I looked up at Mrianna.
"When do you plan on kicking me out?"
Mrianna shrugged. She was sitting at the kitchen table, Gohan
across from her, Bejiita and Gokuu sitting parallel to her on either
side, each drinking either tea or coffee.
"You can be a little more specific, Mri," I grumbled. "My
mother is on the phone."
"Oh, hmm ... we could whip out some blankets and you and
Lilith could stay overnight, if you're allowed," Mrianna suggested.
I sighed, rubbing my left temple before turning back to the
phone. "Overnight?"
"Sure!" my mother said just a little too enthusiastically.
"Do you need anything?"
I rolled my eyes. "Toothbrush and stuff ... change of clothes,
hairbrush, et cetera."
"Blaine and I will be driving by on our way to Milton, we can
drop you off some things then," my mother said. "See you in a few."
"You really want me out of the house, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Heh ... well, bye, mum."
"Goodbye."
I hung up, rather quickly I must add, and sighed. "She's drop-
ping some stuff off ... she and Blaine are going out, I guess."
"Oh, lucky you," Mrianna said.
"Mri, I'm staying here."
"Oh yeah ... heh, whoops."
I rolled my eyes. "Goddess ..."
=====
Mother arrived fifteen minutes later.
"Gabe, it's your mom!" Mrianna called from the front door.
I stood, once again abandoning my artwork to go see my mother.
She handed me a bag, looking cautiously into Mrianna's house, and past
me to the kitchen, where she noticed Gokuu.
"Honey, does Mrianna have company?"
"No, that's Gokuu, her babysitter."
"Are you sure it's all right with him?"
"Oh yeah, of course. He's very understanding. Bye, mom."
"Hmm, all right, if you're sure ..."
"I'm sure."
"Goodbye, dear," my mother waved, leaving the doors. I shut
them behind her, letting out a sigh of relief.
"I should have told her to bring some aspirin."
=====
"Are we going to get any sleep tonight?" Mrianna asked.
I looked to Lilith, who looked to me, and we both turned back
to Mrianna, shaking our heads.
"Didn't think so," Mrianna said, giving up the thumbs up and
returning to the computer, Gohan enjoying the Battle Arena.
"This is so screwed it's not even funny," I muttered. "If the
guys wake up, they will be so pissed once they hear about Piccolo ..."
Lilith laughed, going back to her picture. I looked up as move-
ment caught my eye, and I noticed a pale figure walk past the door. My
brow rose. 'Must be Piccolo ...'
I heard Gohan squeal out a name, and I set my picture down,
walking out into the kitchen. Gohan was hugging around Piccolo's waist,
who still looked quite a bit shakey.
"Jealous, Mrianna? He loves the alien more than he does you,"
I remarked, stepping past the brunette and grabbing a glass to get my-
self a drink.
"Hey, so do you!" Mrianna retorted.
I put up my middle finger as I opened the fridge, taking out
some kool-aid. "Shut up."
"You shut up!"
"Both of you, shut up," Lilith broke into our little argument.
"Actually, it was quite interesting," Bejiita commented from
his mug of coffee.
"You would think so," Gokuu chuckled nervously. "So, um, Picco-
lo, how are you feeling?"
"Better," Piccolo grumbled, sitting down at the table.
"Back to his old monosyllabic self, I see," Bejiita smirked.
"Of course, he isn't exactly a green bean anymore ..."
Piccolo scowled at Bejiita. If looks could kill, Bejiita would
be shredded apart like one of Jack the Ripper's victims. I smirked,
sipping my kool-aid, as Bejiita glared back at Piccolo.
"Well, this is getting nowhere fast," Gokuu chuckled nervously.
"Um ... coffee, Piccolo? Tea?"
"No, however I believe rest is in order."
"Maybe we should all get to sleep ... we're obviously getting
very cranky," Gokuu suggested.
"Oh no, Mrianna and Gabe are always like that," Lilith said
matter-of-factly.
"Yeah," Mrianna patted me on the top of the head. "She's my
little Green Bean lover."
I think I turned a shade redder. "At least he's not a six-year
old kid ... Pedophile."
"Told you," Bejiita mumbled to Gokuu, sipping his tea.
Gokuu cleared his throat. "Um, just the same, I think I'm tired
too ... uh, where are we going to sleep?"
"Well ... two of you can sleep in my parent's room. Um, Piccolo
can probably take my room. I guess Lilith, Gabe and I can sleep on the
floor in the living room. Gohan can have the couch."
"Once again, Mrianna misunderstands the rules of Dragonball
Z. Never, ever place Bejiita and Gokuu in the same room together, let
alone the same bed," I stated matter-of-factly. "In fact, when it comes
to Bejiita, maybe you should just give him his own room, unless you
want to clean blood out of carpet."
"It's only one night, right?" Gokuu asked, sweatdropping.
Bejiita folded his arms over his chest. "Hmph."
I examined my fingernails. "I tell you to be careful, but no,
no one listens to the little Gothic bi--"
"Could Gohan sleep with Piccolo and Gokuu have the couch?" Mri
suggested, interrupting my ramble.
"I think that's safer," Gohan spoke up.
"Yeah, that works," Gokuu nodded, looking over to Piccolo, who
was looking quite passive about the whole situation.
"Okay, good," Mrianna said, giving us all her usual cheerful
grin. I would have sweatdropped, but I wasn't a cartoon.
Exactly.
=====
I awoke to voices.
"Mrianna? Wake up, we have to go."
I opened an eyelid, noticing Mrianna asleep nearby under a
pile of blankets, Gohan shaking her. I shut my eye and sat up, running
a hand through my messied hair. "Damn, what time is it?"
"Um, seven fifty," I heard Gokuu say.
"Too early," I muttered, laying back down.
"Goodbye to you too," I heard Gokuu mutter.
"Thibbit."
"Thib ... bit?"
"Gohan, leaving already?" I heard Mrianna say.
"Um, yeah ... couple of minutes. Thanks for everything, it was
really cool meeting you guys," I heard Gohan reply.
"No problem ... hey, Gohan, if you meet anyone named Videl
Satan? Promise me you'll stay away from her, okay?"
"Um, okay. Why?"
"Oh? Uh, nothing. She's just a very bad person. Very bad."
I cupped a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't burst into laugh-
ter. After all, Videl and Gohan get married when they get older.
"Okay. I promise. Bye, Mrianna. Goodbye, Lilith. Bye, Gabe."
"Bye."
"Goodbye," I heard Lilith's voice state.
"Whatever," I mumbled, turning over and hiding under the
blankets, which got a laugh out of Mrianna. "Shuddap."
"You shut up."
"I didn't say anything, I'm trying to sleep!"
"Goodbye," I heard Gokuu say, just as I fell back to sleep.
=====
The next Friday following I sat in front of the tele-
vision, awaiting for Dragonball Z to air. There were the usual guests,
the presences of Mrianna and Lilith, both sitting on the couch beside
me, waiting and practically sitting on the edge of their seats.
I was taking a little more setback approach, but I still
waited, heart in my throat. Why, I didn't know. After all, it was only
a cartoon. There had been no evidence they had even been there, save
for the wrinkled sheets which we could have caused ourselves. The
others were not as sceptical as I, and believed thoroughly that indeed
the quartet had visited us.
I looked over to them. Why would they be so naive? We're
Wiccans, we have psychic dreams, why not shared ones?
Mrianna looked to me. I think she knew I was doubtful. She
grinned. "You know someone left something when they left."
I felt my brow raise. "Huh?"
Mrianna grinned wider, opening the bag by her feet and taking
out a white garment styled in the shape of a hat. I blinked.
"Piccolo left his turban?"
"He must have forgotten," Lilith said, smiling.
"They really were here," I muttered, looking back to the tele-
vision as the theme song, which I still hate to this day, and the image
of Shenlong was produced onto the screen.
Cool.
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