Into The City

Elizabeth Knight

Chapter 2

Trunks rolled over in his massive four poster bed, and cracked open one eye to look at out the window. The sun still wasn't up quite yet but looking at the lightening sky it would be soon. It was too early to get up. He rolled back over on his other side and closed his eyes again. A haunting image rose in his muddled mind smiling at him. An image of bright red hair and molten gold eyes. The raid had been three days ago, but things were still in chaos around the city. The exotic native was likewise wrecking havock in his mind. He'd asked himself time and again why he' d saved her life, but had refused to delve to deep to answer it. He hadn't told anyone, and he didn't exspect to run into her again either.

A quiet knock sounded on his door before he heard his mother's voice. "Breakfast is ready, and Goten is down stairs. His father is going hunting with a few of the others to replenish the city's food supplies. He wants to know if you're going with them." she informed him.

Trunks sook his head to indicate his answer to her. She quietly reclosed his bedroom door and went back downstairs. "He says not today." she told the young man she'd looked at like a son of her own. Goten gave her his devistating smile.

"That's ok, Bulma. I'll see him later." he shrugged and left the house. It didn't take him long to catch up with the others. The had just reached the edge of the city when he caught sight of a flash of red hair, and then a form stumbling out of the trees. "Hey Dad!" he called to Goku, when he turned to look at Goten, he said, "Down there." pointing to the still figure on the ground. Goten was the first to touch down next to the figure. She looked up at him, gasp, and scrambled away from him. "It's alright. I'm not gonna hurt you." Goten murmured, holding a hand out to her.

She looked at his hand for a moment then took it. He helped her up to her feet, and smiled "My City....!" she gasp. "They destroyed it. Almost everything. We need help." she recited the speech she'd prepaired the night before, but the fear was real. At least neither of the saiyans who'd hunted her were in the group.

Goku stepped forward from the group to ask her, "When did this happen?"

"A few nights ago." she answered with a slight tremble in her voice.

"We haven't heard anything about another attack." one of the others said.

"Of course we haven't. If they attacked both cities at the same time it would take several days to get anywhere." Goten said.

Zantha nodded her head. "I tried to get here as quickly as possible. We realy need help."

Goku laid a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright. You're here now, and we'll find a few men to go to your city to help the survivors."

"Thank you." she whispered.

He nodded his acceptance. "You'll need a place to stay, and I'm sure you're hungry and tiered from your journey. Goten, take her to ChiChi for now."

"Yes sir." Goten answered, coming forward to pick her up. Zantha scrambled backward from him, unsure of his intent. "No. It's ok." he told her. "We're gonna fly there. Trust me." Zantha looked at him wearily but let him pick her up. She wrapped her arms around his neck when he took off. It was strange having to depend on someone else to fly her around. Goten flashed her another smile. It didn't take long for him to come to a house and land on the ground. Zantha wasn't sure where she was. Most of the houses looked alike being either rock or log. Goten set her on her feet and led her into the house. She saw a short woman standing in a room with her back to them.

"Mom!" Goten called to her. She turned around, and her eyes widened at the sight of Zantha.

"Oh you poor dear! Where did you come from?"

"Her city was hit the same night as ours. She came for help."

"That was three days ago. How horrible! You must be so tiered. And hungry! Come in, come in. Make yourself at home."

Goten smiled at her. "My mom will take care of you. Just relax." He was gone the next moment, back out the door.

Ten minutes later, Zantha was up to her chin in warm, bubbly water. It was relaxing to her cramped muscles. ChiChi had changed the soiled bandage on her shoulder, fretting over her the whole time. She had barely left when a sound came from the front of the house. Ding Dong. Zantha listened to ChiChi greet the person.

"Yes, yes, come in Trunks. I'll go get your jacket from the spare room." she was saying.

"Thanks a lot." a male voice drifted down the hallway. Zantha's ears perked up. It couldn't be....but she recognized that voice. Zantha stood up on shaking legs. Surely not...she pleaded. Don't let it be. She gingerly glanced around the door jam and her mouth fell open . It was! It was him! He was here! Why? He looked up at her, and Zantha dashed back around into the bathroom.

*****************

Trunks frowned, rubbed his eyes , and looked again, but the doorway was empty. He was going crazy seeing her every time he closed his eyes, and now even when he was awake it seemed. Trunks had been headed toward the bathroom when ChiChi came back down the stairs and handed him his jacket. He smiled and thanked her before leaving.

Later on that day Trunks and Vegeta were walking down the street when they both saw a red head. They chased her down the street and cornered her in the alley. Trunks took one exit and Vegeta met her at the other end of the alley. Trunks watched his father grab the girl's arm and force her face up to look at him. He stared at her for a long time, then letting her go, shook his head at Trunks. Of corse it wasn't her. What would she be doing in the city?

*****************

Exploring!!

Zantha ran into the nearest store and collapsed against the wall. When she'd seen them, she'd immediately took off. When the black-haired one caught her, she thought she was gonna shift from fear. Only a fierce will to live had allowed her to reason that in her present form he probably wouldn't recognize her. She'd been right. He hadn't recognized her. Next time she decided to go exploring she'd bring along the human ChiChi. Zantha turned and looked back out the door at the two who were just passing. What had ChiChi said his name was this morning? The lavender haired one with the jacket had been.........*Trunks!*

***************

He stopped dead in his tracks, his head whipping around to look first one way then the other. He even turned around and headed for the shop, but the one with him stopped him.

"What is it, Trunks?"

"I thought I heard....." he looked around and then up in the air. He shook his head, and said, "Never mind."

**************

Zantha exhaled the breath she'd been holding. Surely he hadn't heard her.

"That was a close call." said a woman behind her. She had short black hair, and large slanted eyes. "You'll have to be more careful if you're going to survive here. Saiyans are telepathic when they chose to use the ability."

"Who are you?" Zantha ask watching her suspiciously.

"I'm one of you. My name is Michelle and I'm a ware panther." The woman pushed a lock of black hair behind one long pointy ear. Her fingers were exstreamly long, and when she reached up to touch her eye she slid something away from it's center revealing the thin line down it's center. "They're called contacts. The council issues them to those of us who can't shape shift. Now I can pass as a saiyan. I take it you're supposed to be human. Not bad, I guess. You may want to keep those ears covered though. Human's ears are usually much smaller and slightly shell shaped."

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. My name's Zantha."

"What's your aileous?"

"Aileous"

"The fake name you're using that the humans are supposed to call you? Like an undercover name or such."

"I don't have one."

"Oh boy. You probably need to choose one, don't you think?"

"Like what?"

"Well....Let's see here. How about Deirdre? When anyone asks you your name always tell them Deirdre. Learn to answer to it too."

"I'll try to remember."

"Who's your target?"

"Target?"

"The one you're supposed to be observing and gaining information from."

"Oh. The light haired one that just passed by."

"Trunks?" she asked in disbelief. "Vegeta's son, Trunks?" Zantha nodded her head. "Where are you staying?"

"With the human ChiChi."

Michelle gave a hysterical laugh. "Goku's wife ChiChi? You'd best watch yourself much more closely. You're gonna be surrounded by saiyans and they can sense our kind much easier than the humans. It's getting late and you'll no doubt be missed at their house. You'd probably better be going."

Zantha nodded her head and darted out the door. Zantha hadn't gotten far when someone grabbed her shoulder. She jumped and almost fell turning around to face her attacker.

"Woah. Easy there."

"You scared me." seh told the young man she'd met this morning.

Goten smiled. "You're a little jumpy, hu? I thought maybe you'd lost your way. ChiChi said you've been out all day, and supper is almost ready."

"I'm sorry." she apologized.

"No need. It's really easy to lose your way in a new city. Can I walk you back to the house? I'm sure you could find some use for me."

"You'd be a great help." she answered, giving him a genuine smile for the first time. For a few moments he just looked at her, and she immediately quit. "Is something wrong?"

"No." he shook his head smiling again. "It's just that's the first time I've seen you smile. You have a beautiful smile." Zantha flushed scarlet under his gaze, and he laughed taking her hand and lead her back to the house.