Survivor

Elizabeth Knight

Chapter 5



They left before the sun broke over the horizon the next morning. Since they took no humans, their pace could be quicker and they would fly. It took much less time to get there this way and when they came over the last hillside to look down into the small valley where the city was they looked on in surprise. There was very little movement and the valley was silent. There was no sign of reconstruction here as there had been in Saiyan City. The small group walked down to the city cautiously, viewing all the damage and destruction that had left few buildings standing. Bodies still littered the ground here and there, and although they didn't expect any survivors from the group they checked each one.

"Here! I've found one." Gohan yelled to the others, rolling the boy over. He'd been slashed across the chest and had been skewered through his ribs. There was blood everywhere and a woman's body not far away. The boy's fever bright brown eyes fluttered open, then closed again. Goku touched his son' s arm in show of sympathy and told him, "Take him back to the house no. He may make it if we can get him treatment. We'll continue jour search and catch up with you."

Gohan nodded, picked up the boys body and took off into the air. Trunks scowled as a burning hatred fired his soul. He would destroy all those responsible for this. As he marched through the rubble and debris he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye in the tree line. He dashed that way and came upon a tiny figure. Her hair a dirty blond matted with blood and mud. She couldn't have been more than Three or four. Her dress was ripped and falling open in front and she too bore the claw marks of a hideous native beast. She cracked her eyes and peeked up at Trunks then quickly closed them again.

"It's alright little one. Your safe now. Open your eyes." he coaxed.

Clear blueberry eyes gazed up at him through thick black lashes. "You're not the kitty." she whispered. Trunks fought to keep a scowl off his face and gave her a smile instead. "Your pretty. Are you here to help us?"

"Of course." he replied, picking her up gently. "Do these hurt?" he asked, glancing at the red wounds in her chest.

"Not as bad as they used to." she answered still smiling up at him.

"I'm going to take you somewhere you'll be safe ok? Do you like to fly?" She nodded at him and rose to put her arms around his neck. When she did her wound began to ooze again and blood seeped through his shirt front. He carefully sat her to one side and ripped off the hem on the bottom and one sleeve of his stained shirt. Using his teeth he tore it into and folded the sleeve for a pad. Ge pulled the ruined shirt off and handed it to her as he tied the folded sleeve to her chest under her right chest muscle. Hopefully, when she got older her breast would cover the permanent scars there...if she made it. He saw a dead woman with dulled red hair and remembered the native red head in the cave. For a moment he thought he was going to be sick at the thought that he'd felt any remorse or pity for the creature he'd saved. At the moment he wished her dead and that this human was alive. He shook his head and turned his attention to the little girl.

"What's your name?"

"Brandy."

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

Zantha awoke with a start and looked around the strange room. It took her a moment before she realized where she was. She was in the human city in a saiyan's house. She glanced at the mirror across the room and saw her normal self in its reflection. Her hair was mused and the tips of her ears poked through. Her gold eyes were sleep filled and her wings hung limp behind her. Her ears picked up the sound of someone coming down the hallway and she quickly shifted before the door opened. She grabbed her ears and closed her eyes. When she opened them she looked human again and Videl stood in the door way.

"I thought you might want breakfast. It's ready downstairs, and we've already set you a place."

Looking slightly panicky she asked, "Is he down there?"

"He?" asked Videl slightly confused at first, then as if a light had come on, "Oh! You mean Trunks? No. The guys all left early this morning to go to your village."

"Oh." she breathed on a sigh of relief, crawling out of the bed.

"Come on. I've got some cloths you can wear in my room." Videl told her, taking her by the hand and dragging her down the hallway.

They entered a much larger bedroom and Videl pushed her down into a chair in front of a vanity. Throwing open the closet door, she reached in and grabbed a long summer dress. Holding it up she looked at it critically. "Not the right color." she said tossing it onto the bed. "I'd let you wear a pair of my jeans, but since you're taller than I am, I don't think they'd fit. Here..." she said coming out with a white cotton summer gown. "This will look extravagant on you." She handed it to her, going through the things on her vanity, she also produced two small ivory combs for her hair. "You use these and my brush. I'll see you downstairs." she tossed over her shoulder as she left Zantha. Zantha stripped out of the gown and tossed on the dress. Pulling her hair back, she brushed her bangs in long strands over the tops of her ears leaving only the bottoms showing. Using the combs to keep it in place she stabbed them into her thick hair. Good. She looked like any other human being. Picking up the e discarded gown to return to ChiChi, she left the room and headed down stairs. Videl already had a plate at the table for her, and gave her a welcoming smile as she took her seat.

"Where's ChiChi?"

"She's temporarily misplaced her wedding rings and is tearing the house apart looking for them." Videl answered.

"What are wedding rings?"

Videl looked shocked at first and Zantha thought perhaps she shouldn't have asked. "Weren't your parents...I mean...well...they're like this." Videl displayed her set to Zantha.

"They look like these? ChiChi's?"

"Well no, but..."

"Why are they so important that she's tearing the house up for them? Are they very valuable?"

"Some are, but it's their significance that's the most important. They're a symbol."

"A symbol of what?"

"Well, a symbol of love. The circle is the symbol for eternity or never ending love between mates. A wedding is a ceremony that we have when we've chosen a mate, and we exchange rings as a symbol of our choice. Have you ever been to a wedding?"

Zantha thought for a moment. Some of the mates in her village had swapped their identity charms. For her people the sacred charms were like a guardian and a name. They were given charms at their birth the same time their names were chosen, and sometimes as a show of owner ship the mates would trade these stones. No two stones were exactly alike and that made it easy to identify who the charm belonged to. They were also meant to protect that person from all harm. Zantha reached up to touch her own, but found nothing. A moment of stunned horror ran through her before she remembered what had happened to it. She'd given it to Trunks after he'd saved her life to protect him just in case he ran into any of her people. They'd know what it was and leave him be, but what if they thought something different. What if they'd thought she'd claimed him as her mate?

"Found them! Here they are!" She heard ChiChi exclaiming as she came down the stairs. "My dear, are you feeling well? You're awfully pale."

"No." Zantha shook her head to clear it from her horrified thoughts. "I'm ...I'm fine. I just need to finish my breakfast and get some fresh air is all." She looked at her food and thought she was going to be sick. Trunks? He'd kissed her last night, and she... she had been thrilled. He was strong and powerful...and exciting. Her heart beat quickened as she remembered the feel of him, and the taste of his mouth. But he was her enemy!

There was a loud bang as Gohan stormed into the house, and all three woman were on their feet and at his side in a flash. He was out of breath for having gone so quickly, and he let Videl take the boy from his arms.

"Is everyone alright? Why did you bring hm back?" ChiChi asked her son, "Where is his family?"

"Dead. Everyone's dead." he answered watching Videl and the boy. Zantha stuffed a pillow under his head as Videl probed his wound. He looked awful with his nasty cloths all covered in blood and sorrowful brown eyes glazed with fever.

ChiChi took over a few minutes later, assigning everyone a job, and when all was said and done the boy was sleeping fitfully, but he was clean and bandaged. Gohan pulled ChiChi aside to have a private word with her, and although Zantha couldn't hear them, when ChiChi shook her head and Gohan sat down hard on the chair behind him looking defeated she knew what news he'd been given. The boy would die. She looked at his form struggling to breath and thought of herself lying on the cave floor. If Trunks hadn't done what he did she'd be dead and they were enemies. But staring at the youngster who was probably twelve or so, she couldn't view as her enemy. A hand grabbed her arm and twirled her around and she jumped. When she saw those ice blue eyes staring into her own she panicked and tried fighting loose. Trunks shook her so hard her teeth rattled and Goten had to remove her from his grasp.

"Deirdre? It's ok. We need your help. Can you help us?" he asked her, soothing the hair that had fallen out of the combs away from her face in a calming way. He held her to him gently looking down into her eyes as his voice washed over her comfortingly. He gave her a reassuring smile and Zantha nodded her head.

"Do you recognize these children?" She still couldn't' speak so she shook her head. "I need your bed for the little girl. Will you help us with her?" Girl? What girl? Zantha looked back over her shoulder to Trunks and the blond headed little girl in his arms. She only glanced at the girl for a second before she returned her stunned gaze to the other thing that had caught her eye. Trunks was minus a shirt that the little girl had on now. There were blood stains on it and Zantha felt retched.

Glancing back at Goten, Zantha answered, "Yes. I'll take her."

"No! I'll take her." Trunks snapped at her when she reached for the little girl. Zantha snatched her arms back in fright and followed Trunks up the stairs and into the room. His back was huge, and that chest......She'd seen nearly all of him the night before, but instead of being repulsed she was intrigued. She glanced at his arm, looking for the wound from her bite, but there wasn't one. Just a tiny thin line where the wound should have been. He must be a quick healer. No wonder the saiyan didn't die off because of mortal wounds. They healed too rapidly for any damage to be done. Zantha reached out to touch the scar, but he turned towards her and her fingertips brushed across his arm and chest. His sharp intake of breath drew her eyes to his, and she quit breathing. A shock of electricity raced up her fingertips, into her arm, and through her body. His gaze raked over her form from head to toe much as he'd done the night before while she'd stood next to ChiChi. Zantha stepped forward and ran her hands up his chest and into his hair. She tiptoed tilled she could reach his mouth....

"Trunks?"

Both bodies separated instantly and glanced to the door. Bra stepped in giving Trunks a sly glance and told him, "Mom's down stairs helping ChiChi with the boy and sent me to help you up here. Sorry to interrupt. Hi Deirdre." Bra smiled at them.

"You'd better keep your mouth shut." he told Bra, who immediately nodded her head.

"I wouldn't dream of it.....but you owe me one."

While Trunks was preoccupied with his sister, Zantha thought this would be the perfect opportunity to sneak out. She'd almost kissed him. What was wrong with her? He was her enemy! She was supposed to be finding their weaknesses....not her own! She needed to stay away from him. She couldn't think right when he was near. She got out the door, down the stairs, and out the front door before she heard the footsteps behind her. She stopped and faced her follower. Trunks almost ran over her before he noticed she'd stopped.

"Where do you think your going?" he snapped at her.

"Anywhere away from you." she retorted hotly.

"What are you guys up to?" Goten ask over Trunks' shoulder. Zantha hadn't noticed him come up and apparently neither had Trunks cuz he stiffened at the sound of Goten's voice.

"I needed a little fresh air." Zantha told him with a weak smile. Trunks frowned at her, not even glancing at Goten.

"Am I interrupting something?" Goten asked Trunks.

"Don't be silly! Of course your not? What would you be interrupting?" Zantha asked quickly.

Goten smiled at her, "Oh, I don't know. Nothing I guess." This time Zantha gave him a real smile. "If you want to go back in, I'll stay here with Deirdre."

Trunks looked surprised for a moment then conceded. "I really need to talk to my mother and get back to my sister." As he walked off, Zantha saw him turn and give them a last look. Goten had put his arm around her shoulder and Trunks had scowled.

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

Why had she touched him? It had taken him by surprise when he'd turned and her fingers had so softly skimmed his arm and chest. He'd been mentally paralyzed as he watched her face coming closer and her arms brush up his body so her fingers could delve into his hair. He'd been bewitched by a stranger. He'd remembered the taste of her from the night before and anticipated it, but couldn't move to take it. It was ridiculous to have such an attraction to someone he didn't know. He wasn't even sure if it was her or the fact she looked like the golden eyed beast. He wasn't sure, but he did know seeing her was only making the attraction grow. Every time he saw her he expected to see those golden eyes flash and burn with a fire he'd put there. He'd expected that face to turn into his beast and had held his breath. In his mind her eyes had turned gold, but when Bra had called his name they darkened to green. He was shaking with a need he couldn't fulfill. He couldn't use her as a substitute for his ravenous desires for a beast he'd saved, nor could he find her. He'd gone back to the cave more than once but there was no trail.

"Are you alright Trunks dear?" his mother ask as he came in.

"Fine." he grouched.

"Where's Deirdre?"

"With Goten." he scowled thinking of the way she'd smiled at him and he'd wrapped his arm around her. Goten was his best friend and he'd wanted to put his fist in his face. It was crazy. She wasn't even the girl he wanted. They didn't look anything alike. His beast had molten gold eyes, blood red lips, and fangs. Deirdre had emerald green eyes, flesh colored lips, and regular canines. Why did he deep getting them mixed up. The only way they looked alike was that flaming red hair. It was the same color. She'd have to be a shape shifter to be the same person. Shape shifter? Could they be the same? It would explain why all his instincts told him they were the same woman. But Deirdre was quiet, fearful, and shy, but his beast on the other hand hadn't been afraid of him or shy. He traced the scar on his arm as he thought then looked down at it. Was that what she'd been reaching for before he turned. The scar she'd given him? If Deirdre was his beast it would explain why he hadn't found a trail. She only had to back track to the city. Trunks turned to glance out the window at her and his heart beat quickened. Sometimes you had to listen to your heart and not your eyes. His eyes said they were different, but everything else said they were the same. His instincts screamed at him that the woman Goten was holding was his beast and he wanted to punch him again. Trunks took a shaky breath to calm down and promised himself he'd found out.