Unknown Realms



Chapter 12- The Psychics



Hotiku sat on her knees, beads of sweat forming on her forehead and rolling down her face. Her eyes were squinting, obviously concentrating on something as she kept her eyes transfixed on the object in front of her. Her hands were once resting on her lap, which were now furiously gripping the fabric of her pants.

"Concentrate," spoke the soft voice.

"I am…" she grumbled.

"If you were, you'd be able to control it by now," she said.

"Leave me alone, you can do this just fine, Mi-chan," she jabbed.

"You can do this too," Miyako said, her voice the slightest bit annoyed.

"No. I. Can't!" she hissed, ready to just about explode.

"Tch, and you're supposed to be stronger than me in this," she grumbled. Not a second later, Hotiku's eyes narrowed at the object in front of her, which happened to be a glass with water in it, in anger. Great now she's gonna go off… she thought, placing up a mental block so Hotiku wouldn't hear her thoughts.

"I'm not weak!" she shouted, shutting her eyes tightly and unintentionally sending the glass hurling towards a wall. As it shattered up against it, she snapped her eyes open to see what had happened.

Miyako sat; her jaw dropped in astonishment, and then grinned. "I think I just figured out how to trigger your telekinesis."

"What? How?" she looked at her, then to the glass, and then back to her again. Without saying a word, Miyako pulled her up and dragged her out of the room and towards the gravity room, which was outdoors.

"Okay, now give your best shot," Miyako stood a few feet in front of her. Her stance widened as she motioned with her hand to attack her.

"What? I'm not hitting you!" she looked at her in disbelief, her eyes had widened.

"I knew you would say that," she frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she whined, looking at her sideways.

"It means, you're too afraid to fight me," she teased.

"Me afraid? I don't think so… I might hurt you," she smirked.

Miyako frowned, "you hurt me? Right, you're too weak to even pull a hair off my head! Oh, and if you do, I'll kill you. "

"No, I'm not!!" she yelled, fisting her hands. "Sorry, Miyako, I'm not going to hit you, so just give it up!"

She sighed, "Alright, I didn't want to have to do this," she walked towards one of the main control panels, typing in a sequence of commands, "but you leave me no choice."

Hotiku looked at her quizzically, not quite comprehending what she meant. Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her that sent chills running up and down her spine.

"Hello, precious," spoke the male voice. She froze, hoping to Kami that it wasn't whom she thought it was. Miyako took several steps back, bracing herself for what was to come. Hotiku slowly spun around as she came face to face with a pair of emerald eyes. Taking a step back in fear, she realized who it was… Saige.

The next thing Miyako knew, an extremely powerful force knocked her back into the wall. She felt as if she was being crushed as blackness started to overwhelm her. Fortunately and unfortunately, she was only able to experience this as she slipped into unconsciousness, the last image she saw being a blast of fire.

~*~

Bulma stumbled slightly, feeling the shockwave and hearing the explosion. She stopped in her tracks, her eyes darting around wondering what had happened. She quickly made her way downstairs where several of the guardians had gathered.

"Miss Bulma, what happened?" Astria asked.

"I'm not sure," she replied.

"Well, we're going to find out," Goten walked hurriedly, Trunks following behind him. "It sounded as if it had come from outside, you all stay here, we're gonna go check it out," Trunks ordered. Despite the way they had started off, Zack nodded and signaled for the other guardians to cooperate and stay where they were.

Trunks and Goten ran out, not exactly sure what they expected to find. But the second they got there, they both had a pretty good idea of what was going on. In the yard behind Capsule Corp, was a large pile of rubble and debris. Goten squinted, trying to make out who or what was there to cause the explosion.

"Kami-sama…" he gasped, his eyes wide in shock. "It's Hotiku and Miyako!"

Immediately, they both flew over to them, never expecting to find what they were about to. Miyako laid face down, her body slung over a large chunk of concrete. Hotiku was several feet away from her face up, a piece of metal imbedded into her abdomen.

Trunks ran over to Hotiku, panicking the instant he saw the sliver of metal piercing through her skin. Goten kneeled down beside Miyako and rolled her over on her back, making sure she didn't have any broken bones. Luckily she didn't, but as soon as Goten touched her shoulder, she gasped in pain. Her eyes snapped open as she coughed several times; both were covered in splotches of ashes, dust and dirt.

Breathing heavily, she tried to sit up realizing her shoulder was dislocated, "Hotiku, where is she?" she asked, her breathing ragged and short.

Goten looked over at Trunks who had Hotiku's head resting on his lap. Miyako crawled over quickly, cutting her legs and knees on the rubble beneath her. She nearly collapsed beside them as her eyes darted back and forth, analyzing Hotiku's physical condition as she started to regain consciousness.

"Trunks?" she inhaled sharply, immediately feeling the pain in her abdomen. "Oh god, what the hell is going on?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"I'm going to pull this out on the count of three, okay?" Miyako kneeled next to her, Goten behind her for safety measures. Hotiku nodded, preparing herself, knowing it was going to hurt immensely.

"Ready?" Goten asked her. "One," he spoke slowly.

"Two!" Miyako said rapidly, and pulled out the shard as quickly as she could. Hotiku cried out in misery, her body arching back. The pain was almost unbearable, but she knew she had to bear the agony or she wouldn't survive.

"Oh god," she sobbed, tears rolling down her cheeks. Trunks placed his hand on her deep wound, trying to stop the blood from flowing as he quietly consoled her, rubbing her forehead with his thumb as his fingers brushed back her bangs.

"We have to get her to the medical wing," she ordered, "hurry, she won't survive for long."

Trunks nodded standing up and holding Hotiku in his arms, careful not to interfere with the metal shard. Miyako started to get up, stumbling a bit. She nearly fell only to have Goten catch her.

"I gotcha," he whispered, picking her up. As she held on to him tightly, they were all inside and had past the guardians in the blink of an eye. However, Zack and Transwarp had barely managed to catch a glimpse of them and were now pursuing them at top speed, leaving the others in bewilderment.

Trunks carefully set her down on a hospital bed, as the pain slowly began to subside as well as her tears.

"What happened to her?" Transwarp asked from behind them.

"Not now," Miyako said, catching her breath, "Zack, my arm it's dislocated."

Zack walked up to her, lightly touching her shoulder; still she winced. "This is gonna hurt," he informed her.

"Just do it," she breathed. Zack grabbed her arm and snapped it back into place earning a small cry from her.

"Better?"

"Hai," she nodded and walked back over to Hotiku. "I have to dress her wound, guys could you leave the room for now?"

Receiving nods all around, they all left Miyako to clean the large wound, waiting impatiently outside the room for any news.

"I'm sorry, honey," she apologized, "I was just trying to make you psychically stronger."

Hotiku smiled, "good job."

"Huh?" she looked at her confused, picking up a bandage roll.

"Miyako, it worked," she laughed slightly as the bandage floated over to her and wrapped itself around her wound as she sat up.

"It worked?" she looked at her dumbfounded, still watching as Hotiku dressed her wound by herself, telekinetically. "It worked!"

Hotiku hopped off the bed, and adjusted her shirt, "yup, oh and I'm so glad too! I can't believe I forgot what it was like to use these powers!"

"Isn't it awesome?" Miyako giggled receiving a nod from her.

"Are you guys done yet?" someone pounded on the door, most likely Zack. Hotiku smirked and waved her hand, opening the door psychically. The four males stood there uncomfortably, not knowing how the door opened by itself.

"Uh… how did that happen?" Goten asked.

"Silly, Goten," Miyako laughed, "so naïve."

"Hey, what do you mean by that?" he asked.

"Just shut up," Hotiku said simply and placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back and out of her way.

"Hold it right there!" Transwarp ordered. Hotiku rolled her eyes, but stopped and spun around.

"Hai?" she asked sweetly.

"What's going on?" he demanded.

"Oh, nothing really… only I can do this now," she waved her finger, knocking the red cap on his head off.

"Hey!" he growled, picking up his hat and walking away.

She stuck her tongue out at him and spun on her heel preparing to walk away.

"Don't move," Zack said. Letting out an infuriated sigh, Hotiku yet again spun around, although not so sweetly, more arrogantly.

"What now?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Since when can you use your powers?"

"Since I said so," she crossed her arms.

"Hotiku," he warned her psychically, in their terms that meant sending a small jolt to them through their psychic connection.

"Ow!" she jumped slightly. "Geez, what crawled up your pants?"

Zack's left eye twitched as he sent another jolt, this time he accidentally shocked Miyako as well.

"Ow!" they both jumped. Glaring at him, they both sent warnings to him.

"Ow, that hurt!" he whined.

"Well, duh, that's cause we both sent one, duffus!" Miyako sneered only to receive another jolt. "Hey!"

As expected, this turned into an all out jolt war. Meanwhile, Goten and Trunks were standing, sweatdrops on the side of their heads.

"Alright, enough!" Trunks shouted causing all three of them to stop and look at him.

"They started it!" They all shouted, pointing to each other.

"Started what?!" Goten and Trunks both asked.

"He warned me! He sent a freakin jolt through telepathy!" Hotiku accused Zack.

"Oh, so now it's my fault!?" The uproar of an argument started to emerge again.

"Is it going to be like this all the time?" Trunks asked Goten who shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, I'm leaving," Hotiku said haughtily, spinning around and walking away. This time, no one tried to stop her, as she turned the corner and disappeared down the hall.

"Meanie," Miyako muttered at Zack, sending him one last jolt.



~*~

Hotiku walked towards the spiral staircase and noticed something on the ground in front of it. She slowed down as she realized it was a body covered in blood. Gasping as she recognized it as Zack's, she kneeled down beside him and placed her hands on either of his shoulders. She leaned forward, tilting her head, to listen for a heartbeat or breathing. Suddenly, he snapped his hands up and wrapped them around her throat.

"Miyako," she tried to yell, gasping for breath as she pushed at his chest, "help me! Miyako!"

"You killed us, Casaretta," he said hoarsely. Hotiku clawed at his hands trying to release his grasp and pounded on his chest. A large hole appeared underneath him on the floor, his body falling through it. She had just enough time to push back off him before she too fell into the hole.

Coughing and gasping, she pulled herself to her feet and ran up the stairs, stumbling occasionally. She ran through the hallways in search of someone to help her or to even explain to her what was going on. She ran into a pitch-black room and stopped in what seemed to be the center of it. She stopped as the door slammed shut behind her. She tried to pry it open, but it was obviously stuck. Taking several steps back, she bumped into something. She spun around and tried to see through the darkness to identify what it was.

"You've come back to me, Precious," she heard a voice behind her. Hotiku let out a startled gasp as she snapped around. Suddenly, the lights turned on, blinding her for a few moments. As soon as her eyes adjusted, she screamed out in terror and disgust, throwing her hands over her mouth and nose. All around her were the bodies of her friends, all hung by the neck and pale.

Incredibly pale, was all she could register in her thoughts. Not wasting a second she ran to the door and forced it open, running out and up to the roof of the building. Stopping, inches away from the edge, she spun around as she sensed a presence behind her. Another terrified scream emitted from her lips as she saw the figure before her.

"You're mine now, Precious," he spoke.

"S-saige?" she whimpered.

"Stay away from her," another male voice spoke. Trunks jumped in front of her, as if protecting her from him. His body was covered in cuts and bruises. His clothes, but rags and his hair a tangled mess.

"T-trunks?" she looked at him, assuming he had fought against Saige and was obviously losing seeing as he didn't have a scratch on him.

He must've attacked the others as well, she thought, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Don't make me laugh. You, protect her?" Saige laughed mockingly.

"I'll fight for her to the end!" he roared as he charged at him, only to have Saige fire a ki blast at him, burning a hole through his chest and sending him flying off the side of the building next to Hotiku.

"No!" she watched in horror as his limp body fell and hit the ground with a sickening thud. She spun around and looked at Saige, "Bakayarou!"

"Such harsh words from a pr-"

"Shut up! How did you find out?" she spat at him.

"It wasn't that hard. I can read your mind for Kami's sake," he smirked as she gasped, using his telekinesis to pull her body towards him.

"This isn't real, it's a dream," she hissed, "you don't know about that and you don't know who Kami is either! None of the guardians did!"

"Oh, I assure you this is very real," he smirked as he held her by her shoulders.

"Liar… you're a damn liar!" she said through clenched teeth. He abruptly grasped her left wrist and twisted it around behind her back.

"Come now, play nice," he sneered.

"Let go of me," she winced at his grip.



"Don't resist me, Precious," he whispered in her ear before spinning her around again.

"I'll always resist y-" she was cut off as he pressed his lips to hers'.

~*~

Hotiku jumped up, screaming, realizing she was in bed and that it had been a dream. Breathing heavily, she slipped her legs over the side of her bed and threw her hands in her face, leaning forward. She leaned back and ran her hands through her hair as Trunks ran into the room.

"Hotti? What happened, are you okay?" he asked her, sitting down beside her as she looked up at him wearily.

"God, Trunks, I'm so scared," she threw herself into his arms, clutching the back of his shirt fearing he would disappear if she let go. "I'm so scared of him, he's coming after me and I don't think I'm strong enough to oppose him."

"Hotiku, no matter what happens, I'll protect you 'til the end," he whispered, stroking her hair.

She snapped her body back, "No!"

"What?" he looked down at her quizzically.

"Don't, Trunks, please don't say that!"

"Nani? Why?" he asked.

"Promise me you won't put your life in danger just to save mine! That's what guardians do for the royalty! You're not a guardian and I'm not royalty!" she shouted.

"But, Hotiku," he smiled lightly, cupping her chin with his fingers, "you're a princess to me."

Hotiku smiled up at him, but it disappeared again, "promise me."

"Iie," he said softly before getting up and walking towards the door. "I'm not letting him take you from me, I never will."

"Trunks!" she cried out to him, only to have him close the door behind him. She let out a frustrated sigh and crossed her arms, flopping down on her bed.

Mi-chan, I have to talk to you… tell you something important that could change everything…



~*~

"You're the what?!" Miyako yelled, ringing in Hotiku's ears.

"You heard me," she raised an eyebrow.

"But you're… and the whole time… guardians…" Miyako stammered. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

"What, like I'm gonna come out and say, hey everyone, oh by the way, I'm the pr-" Miyako slapped a hand over her mouth.

"Don't say it! Someone could hear you!" She warned. After a moment of thought, Miyako's face twisted in confusion. "Wait, how come I don't remember?"

"Because, remember last year, when we were 14 on Toria-sei?" she asked, pushing her hands away from her face.

"Hai," she nodded her head.

"Well, I was still the, you know, and that's why I went there. I ran away from the guardians and stole a space pod, and erased everyone's memories of it."

"But, where did you go?" she asked.

"I took me about a year to get to Earth. The space pod I was in, it was low rate and it burned up when I came into the atmosphere of Earth," she explained.

"Yeah, then what?"

"Well, the disillusionment wasn't as bad, and I still had most of my powers. So I teleported the hell out of there and crashed landed in some forest. But the strange thing was, I thought you were there with me," she knitted her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Sorry, Hotti, but I don't remember any of that," she shook her head, "but for some reason I remember someone called Trinity, she kept calling me Veronica."

Hotiku's eyes widened, "Mi-chan, I remember a Veronica… she called me Trinity, but it felt like a dream!"

"Wait a minute, if you're the 'priestess'," Miyako started, making up a code name to replace the actual word, "then that means you have that other power, you know the one that the… uh person had!"

"You mean the power to-"

"Yeah!"

"Oh shit! So that's what that stupid disillusionment is!"

"Uh-oh…" Miyako produced a nervous expression.

"What?"

"If you're the 'priestess' that means you're," she stopped, and slapped Hotiku's arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" she glared at her.

"Why didn't you tell me you were saiya-jin?!"