Chapter Seven : The Legacy of Terror. . .







On their way back to Capsule Corp. both Saiyans stopped dead in their tracks, Vegeta looked as though he were going into shock. "Can you sense that?!?!?!" Mike asked, his voice shaky as he looked to his older brother. "What is that?!" But Vegeta shook his head.

"I. . .I don't know!!! I've never sensed anything like this before in my life! It's. . .incredible!!" He choked out as sweat beaded down his forehead. Mike looked around in confusion.

"But where is it coming from?!?!" Mike asked, the huge power level seemed to be everywhere at once, there didn't seem to be a point in which it was strongest.

"I. . .don't know, I can't tell!" Vegeta stuttered as he spun in slow circles in the air, Mike looked at him in fear. He figured where he was on the scheme of things, but it didn't seem right that something of this magnitude should be around yet.

"Could it be Freeza?" Mike asked, his brow furrowing in worry for my safety.

But Vegeta shook his head. "We would have felt him coming from miles away, this was on us very suddenly. No warning at all. . ." He sais as he spun to Mike. "Astrozar, we have to try and find the source of this! The others will already be on it, lets go!" Mike blinked in surprise, but raced off with his brother. Unsure if the direction they were off in was the right one, but Mike trusted his brother's instincts and his own seemed to say a similar thing.

No sooner, however, had they left, than did the power level plummet down so sharply that once more, they stopped in mid-air. "This doesn't make any sense, it was strong a moment ago, but now. . ."

"It's gone." Vegeta finished for his brother, he looked around, stretching out his feelings to locate any traces of a power level, all he felt were Goku and Piccolo. "It was probably just the Namek and Kakkarot playing one of their games again." Vegeta scowled, than remained silent. But neither one of them are that strong, not even together! They must have powered up when they felt it also. He thought to himself, than spun to face his little brother. "Come, Astrozar, let's get back on track. I'm still hungry." Mike smiled a little at his brother's sudden loss of interest with the power level and followed him back to Capsule Corp. "I could use a shower, a hot shower also when I get back. First thing, too!" He grumbled, Mike laughed a little and shook his head.

Same old Vegeta, unless it is worth a good fight, he's not interested. Probably likes going over to Bulma's because of the fights they get into! Mike thought to himself as he followed his older brother, still no where near familiar enough with the land to not get lost.



I stretched as I stood up from the dinner table, Bulma had cooked me a special small dinner. I smiled at her and took a deep breath. "That was really good! Thanks, I needed that!"

Bulma beamed, she didn't get many complements from Vegeta no doubt. "Why thanks! No problem! I figured you'd be really hungry and all, especially since you're half Saiyan! They eat nonstop!" She exclaimed and we both shared a good laugh.

"Do you mind if I go and take a hot shower? I feel like I haven't bathed nearly enough for a month!" Bulma smiled a response and showed me into the bathing room. I knew the routine, but she also showed me over again anyway. "Thanks!" I told her as she walked out. I took off the tunic Kame had given me to put on over my clothes and than started to remove the rags that were left. I had no trouble at all, much to my surprise, I figured that my tail would be of some hindrance, but I was able to shift back into my former form easily. I grabbed a robe hanging up close to the other necessities and draped it around me. Than grabbed a couple of towels, a bottle of bathing gel, the two scented bottles of shampoo and conditioner and a sponge. It took me only a couple seconds to get the hot water going and a quick adjustment with the cold before I shed the robe, tossing it over the towel rail, besides my towels.

I sighed, this was the best treatment I'd been able to enjoy in nearly a month! For once, I didn't have to worry about someone walking in on me. At Chichi's, it was usually Goku or Piccolo who walked in on me in the bathing house, since little Gohan knew where I was at all times. Cute little squirt had developed a deep crush on me, it was so adorable that I didn't have the heart to hurt his feelings, and Chichi said it was harmless. It actually improved his studying skills. But the point of the matter was, I would not be interrupted today! I could enjoy a long luxurious shower without being bothered by anyone. . .

I let my thoughts drift as I washed away the remaining soap and conditioner from my body and hair, the hot water felt almost like heaven to me, so it wasn't hard to lose a track of time. The roar of the water was all I could hear, as I left my head in the stream of the water.

So I never heard the door open until I heard Vegeta's booming voice and a fist slamming against the shower down. "Damn it woman!! Get out of the shower! I want to use it!" I gave out a yelp of surprise than stomped my foot in anger.

"Damn it, Vegeta, don't you ever KNOCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He pounded against the door again and growled a response I didn't hear, than yelled again.

"Get OUT!!!" His voice carried easily through the big bathing room. I felt my anger boiling to the surface and gritted my teeth together as he slammed on the door again.

I quickly turned off the water and slammed open the door, a little disappointed that Vegeta managed to move back before it could hit him. "I was here first!!!! I have the first rights!!! It's not my fault you're to slow to get here first!" I screeched, stomping my foot against the still waterlogged bottom of the shower cell. Vegeta seemed to pay no attention to the fact that I stood completely naked in front of him.

He raised a fist for a moment, than thrust them at his sides. "Listen, woman! I work hard, this is my house, it is my right to be here, not yours!!!" He roared back at me.

The one thing about me, is that I can be very upset, and the second someone yells back at me with just as much ferocity, I lose it. "Oh that's it!!" I said as I felt my power begin to rise again, I did nothing to quench it down this time.

Vegeta suddenly did something that pissed me off beyond imagining. He looked down. It took me half a second to realize that I was naked, and his eyes trained downward could only be looking at one thing. He opened his mouth to say something, but I stepped from the shower and landed a hard punch right to the jaw. "Don't you ever look at me again. . ." I said, but his head spun back to glare at me, his eyes revealing the restraint he seldom showed.

"I have respect for you, so I will give you that one for free." His voice was low and harsh, but it also held a note of forgiveness in it, I narrowed my eyes in angry confusion. He was daring to forgive me for punching him for looking at my body?!? I thought it seemed outrageous until he looked down again, when I launched myself at him this time, he dodged and I felt something warm and wet wrap around my waist, I screeched and leapt backwards. Vegeta caught me before I even had a chance to fall.

"What the hell?!?!" I yelped as I looked down to see what was touching me. A white drenched. . .tail was wrapped around my waist, I jerked as it moved away automatically, I spun from Vegeta's arms and chased it for a couple of seconds, still yelping and trying to get it away from me.

Vegeta laughed and leaned against the wall, amused at what he was seeing. "Ambrlyn. . .perhaps it's yours." He tried to tell me, but it fell on dead ears. It took me another three turns to stop and move the tail as though it were mine. I stopped and looked at Vegeta with such a stricken look that he grabbed my robe and wrapped it around me, holding me close to him by the shoulders as I trembled. "It's alright, you have Saiyan blood, it's only fitting that you should have a tail." He did not know that I already had a tail, that I had a completely different part of me lying in wait for release, but I could not tell him, the words did not come.

"But. . .I've never had it before!" I sobbed hoarsely, for some reason this terrified me, to this day I do not know why. Perhaps it was because this tail had been what Freeza had looked for when he first found me. I don't know.

"Perhaps all you needed was a push." He said as he rubbed my arms briskly and walked me over toward the door. "Relax here, in the spare room, it will get your mind off of things for a while." He reassured me as he put his hand on the doorknob. Than, he turned away and as he handed me a thick robe to wrap around me, my face flushed dark red as I realized I was still not clothed.

"And since you aren't using this shower, I might as well take advantage of it." Vegeta muttered with a short soft laugh, I heard it and snapped a quick reply.

"You shit! You used me just to get the shower!" My heart wasn't behind a fight right now, and Vegeta seemed to sense it, he didn't yell back full force, just enough to make a comment.

"You were finished, it was only fair." With that, we lapsed into a semi-silence, I simply listened to the sound of the shower and Vegeta's soft humming. I never realized that he could carry a tune, but it didn't really surprise me much, I learned to accept the unexpected. After I dressed, I turned the knob and left before Vegeta undressed and got into the shower, unwilling to make this situation any more unbearable.

When I came out of the bathing room, the whole house was quiet, Bulma stared at me as if she had caught me doing something all together unpleasant with Vegeta. "Hi." I said meekly as I tried to pushed past Bulma and go straight toward the spare room.

Bulma stomped over to me and started to yell at me. "What the hell were you doing in there with him?! Huh?" She shook me once hard, than shoved me away as if I burned her. "Stay away from him! He's mine you. . .you hussy!"

"Hey! Don't yell at her!" Mike's sweet voice rescued me as I felt tears starting to form in my eyes.

"Woman!" Vegeta's gruff voice growled from behind me, his eyes hard and merciless, Mike came to my side and held onto me tight, I was grateful, because I had the distinct feeling that if he let go, my legs would disappear and I'd fall through whatever space held me here.

Bulma looked up and glared at Vegeta. "You. . ." But she didn't get any farther.

"Leave her alone. She doesn't deserve your abusive words right now. Perhaps you should think before you open your mouth." Vegeta's words were soft, but filled with scorn. Bulma looked like she was about to say something, but Vegeta ignored her and looked at his little brother. "Take her upstairs to rest, she's had a bad day." Mike wasn't sure what he meant by that, but he took me a little firmer and led me away from the fuming, and ready to explode Bulma.

"Are you alright? You're shaking like a leaf!" Mike's voice was filled with concern as I looked up at him through my sudden exhaustion. My entire body felt as though I'd been put through a linen press.

"I'm ok." I replied, but he knew me far better than to just except that as truth. His look pressed me to say more, so I simply told him what he'd find out later. "Vegeta walked in on me when I was taking a shower and when I became upset and started to be defend my pride," Mike nodded his understanding as I paused and I continued. " I grew a tail." Mike's eyes went wide and he smiled.

"You have a tail!! That's so cool!" I paled a little as he spoke, but smiled, trying to hide my thoughts from his sight. "What's wrong with having a tail? Aren't you Saiyan? It's normal." He tried to reassure me, but I shook my head.

"I'm only part Saiyan, only half of my lineage is Saiyan." It took a long time for me to say this, but Mike seemed willing to listen, almost as if he had all the time in the world.

"What's wrong with being half Saiyan? Gohan and. . ." He lowered his voice and leaned closer to me, making sure his voice didn't carry. "Trunks, as well as Goten and Bra will all be half Saiyan. There's nothing wrong with it. Even half Saiyans have tails." My brow furrowed and I pulled away from him a little. "What's wrong?" He asked, my heart went out to him, he was trying so very hard to make me tell him, but my age old habits of remaining silent about my true self and feelings were just to strong to bypass at that moment, old ghosts were surfacing and I didn't feel like discussing it with someone who was so close and dear to me. . .I know exactly how stupid that sounds and most of you are probably saying 'But that's exactly what you should do! He's there for you! Let him help!' But that's exactly why I didn't want to tell him.

"I'm just not ready to talk about it now. It's a big shock. I've lived my whole life without a. . ." I stopped myself, he would know a full out lie. "Without a Saiyan tail." I finished almost instantly, with just slight hesitation.

He nodded and opened the door to the spare room for me. "Well, let's sit down in here and I'll do the talking for a little while." He stopped us as soon as we stepped into the room and flipped on the light. His hands wrapped around mine, a smile lit his handsome features. "We have so much to catch up on! I've missed you so much!"

I couldn't keep the smile from my face, or the tears from my eyes. "I've miss you so much too! I thought about you everyday, and how I might someday get back to Earth to be with you again!"

Mike held me close and stroked my hair. I love the way he does it, it made all of my worries fall short and disappear while I borrowed his strength. "Now that I have you in my arms, I'll never let you go!" There was a moment of silence, where all he did was rock me slowly back and forth until my light sobs ceased. Than, he began speaking again, his voice soft and gentle. "You're probably wondering how I got here and where I got that ship from, aren't you? Well, I have a confession to make, one I've been trying to find a way to say without making you mad at me for not tell you before.

"I was born on the Planet Vegeta, my father sent my mother and I away when he went to face Freeza, they had me train the same way as Vegeta, who is my brother, half actually, but we share the same father. My parents were best friends with another Saiyan family, they also had a child, one who was just newly born when I was almost five. That infant was a young female Saiyan Princess." I listened to him in stunned shock, I never suspected this of him, never, it was very shocking for me to hear that I was not the only one on Earth who had a secret like mine. He paused for a moment and started speaking again, I let my mind fall into a shocked silence, willing his voice to make me feel better. "This little girl was very special to them and my parents, I was never really told why, but I was told that she would be my charge. When she was sent away in a rush to avoid capture by Freeza, my mother sent me after her shortly. It was only three months later that I arrived here on Earth."

I sighed, he was confessing this to me, because he failed his charge. I never imagined that my true love would be assigned to protect another woman, one which he was probably suppose to marry, which made our love weak and only a 'fling' for him. But he was still talking, so I forced myself to listen. "I spent most of my young life with my adopted family, safe in the fact that she found a good home and family to take care of her. After I graduated, I decided to find her again, it was harder than I thought, but I finally did, and. . ." He paused, holding me closer, his soft warm breath against my ear. "For the first time, I saw her, and I knew it was love. I actually forgot that I was suppose to protect her, I would have protected her without being told so. In fact, when we first met, I didn't know it was her. Do you know what her name is?" I shook my head, hoping it wasn't someone I knew, after all, the last thing I wanted right now was to listen to his confession, my heart felt as thought it would break into a million pieces. But as he spoke again, I felt myself begin to cry again. "Her name was Ambrlyn. The most beautiful and talented Saiyan ever to be born."

My heart swelled so much that the joy and relief made me start to cry. Finally, some of my questions had been answered, I now knew why he was so loyal to me. And it wasn't because of his 'charge', it was his love for me, that made him stay. "I. . .never knew that." I managed to say in between sobs as he stroked my hair as he laughed softly. "How. . .much to you. . .know about my. . .parents?" I asked, trying to get control over my emotions again, my Saiyan tail curled gently around my waist twitched as I tried to smother my overwhelmed mind.

"I know enough to share with you, I've even met them once or twice, but it was you who was a mystery to me." He answered, I laughed a little at his playful tone. He was doing what he did best, making me laugh. He looked at me and then continued after a moment more. "Your mom's name was Darkla, she was a Queen, and your father's name eludes me for right now, but he was, of course, King. Just like my father was King Vegeta, they didn't share their monarchy, not like everyone thought, but they came from a twin planet that died when both our father's were young. So they simply shared their lands until your father and mother's people could complete the bio-dome which would enable life to begin again on the crippled planet. They never got to finish it, because when Vegeta was just a newly born child, Freeza came and destroyed the planet when my father refused to accept a mission, after that, we were his permeate mercenaries, and your parents remained on Planet Vegeta.

"Your mother was a nice woman, she was tall, with a chocolate complexion and rich dark brown eyes. She always wanted a child, my mother told me that they hadn't had any luck until you were born. They loved you very much, and were so afraid when they heard that Freeza had discovered you, he turned around and came straight back for Planet Vegeta. Unfortunately, when he discovered they had sent you away, and refused to tell him where, he killed them." Mike said the last to me with a soft gentle tone, as through trying to soften the blow. Even though I had no living memory of them, I still felt a pang of loss at their complete absence. He paused in his recollection to give me a tight hug, it lessened the pain, but the bitterness was beginning to close in. Something didn't feel right about his story.

"And my father?" I asked, my tears mostly dried from my face, even if they were still fresh in my eyes. I knew in my heart that the Saiyan King was not my father. I had already been told that I was a rape child from a raid, but I still wanted to know about the man who accepted me as his own, even thought I was obviously, if not painfully obviously, not his blood.

"Your father was a brave man. He died valiantly." Came a gruff voice from the doorway. We both turned to look as Vegeta walked in, his fierce expression was nearly completely gone, although he still looked a little irritated, but I imagined that would never leave. "He loved you enough to try and fight Freeza single handedly." He crossed his arms and smiled slightly, in that familiar 'Vegeta smirk' of his. "Of course he failed, but it was enough that he tried. No one short of a super Saiyan could take on Freeza and live." I suppose it was suppose to make me feel better, but all it did was make me feel worse.

"Thank you." I muttered to Vegeta, than looked at Mike evenly in the eyes. "I would like to be alone for a while, so. . .I'll see you tomorrow or something, alright?" He nodded, I smiled and gave him a light kiss on the cheek, being modest in front of Vegeta. For some reason, he always made me very embarrassed. Before Mike could say anything, I left quickly, using Instant Transmission.



I appeared far out away from anything which held civilization, I didn't want to be around anyone. The pain in my heart seemed to be more than I could take. My body and mind were frozen. I had not expected to ever meet my true parents, I also had always been comforted that somewhere out there, my true family was safe from harm. But with the fact that I had no family, no living relative, it made me feel. . .empty, devoid of the only thought of hope that I had clung to in hard times.

I looked around me to try and get my thoughts elsewhere. It was hard. My surroundings were beyond beauty. Untouched and undiscovered by mankind, with a purity to it that drew me.( My grandfather had once told me, that if there were unicorns, they surly would have found me, since I could find anything pure and sacred. Hmm. Life is full of little ironies. ) I have always been 'gifted' (more like cursed) with Psychometry, the ability to read an object by touching or contact. This is how I knew no other had set foot here.

The trees were tall, lush and flowers of many types, most I had never seen before grew in patches of sunlight, and dark soft ferns in the deep shadows of the trees. There was a clearing nearly twenty paces from my spot, where a large cliff produced a breathtaking waterfall, and a gentle lake whose bottom was past fifteen feet. This was where I always sought solitude when I needed to concentrate.

Now I was here to forget about who and what I was for just a little while. To get a glimpse of the 'bigger picture', to see beyond my life into things which brought joy and beauty into the world. I closed my eyes and listened, opening my ears, mind and heart up to what might be willing to speak with me. It was a trick I'd learned back on my Earth when I was younger. It helped me understand animals and better understand myself. Empathy is a powerful talent, the one true universal language, for emotions can not lie, they also can not be hidden or concealed completely.

As I allowed myself a moment to think of the day and what I had learned, reality hit me hard. King Kai and the others told me of Freeza going to Earth. My home, my friends and family were in jeopardy, I couldn't bare the thought of it, my anger started to rise. But the memory of what happened last time made me push it down. I didn't want think about what Freeza would do to Earth and/or its inhabitants, it only fueled by anger. I had no way of getting home to fight him, nor the ability even if I could get there in time to fight him.

"Show me the way to go home." I mumbled, than smiled. "I'm tired and I wanna go to bed." With a sudden laugh, I started to skip lightly through the dense foliage, singing the most impossible song to get out of one's head once it is there.

"Show me the way to go home,

I'm tired and I wanna go to bed.

I had a little drink about an hour ago,

And it went right to my head."

I was so involved with my little stress-relieving exercise (that would be singing) that I didn't notice I wasn't alone anymore. Not until I had fully made a fool of myself.

"Hello there, I didn't mean to startle you. Not a bad place to think and relax is it?" I yelped so loudly and jumped so high I thought I might actually fly away, but as he spoke I calmed down and looked at him.

"Do I. . .know you? Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound unsure and stop the blush that was creeping up to my face. How could I possibly not know how it was that was facing me?!

"Um. . .my name's Trunks, I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I felt a power level and I. . ." I nodded, he stopped and looked embarrassed, especially since he had loosened his sword. "I guess I was wrong. I'm really sorry."

"Goku and Piccolo mentioned you to me." I said quickly when I felt that he was about to leave. If there was anything I wanted now, it was to speak with someone who already knew partially about the future with the androids. "You're Trunks, from the future. Yes, I'm sort of. . .just like you, only not from the future. Just removed from my. . .ah. . .home planet." I stated quickly, trying to hide my growing blush.

"Oh." He said, his stance relaxing, than looked as through it were my turn to speak again.

I felt my face heat up again and I quickly stuck out my hand. "Sorry, um. . .I'm Ambrlyn. From Earth." He took my hand and smiled a half smile.

"Uh huh. . .nice to meet you, Ambrlyn." I laughed and felt the need to explain what happened and my run in with Freeza. After I was finished, I felt more relaxed and Trunks had a fairly good impression of me. "I see, well, you're lucky. I wish you luck on training to prepare in case he ever finds you. But you'd better start training harder for those androids. They haven't shown up yet, have they?" I shook my head. "Good, I just wanted to make sure I hadn't altered things too much." I felt an odd desire to tell him of what would happen, but bit my lip on that instead.

"Yeah, I just don't think the price is right." I stated, than turned to look at him. "Where did you land your time capsule?"

He pointed to the clearing I was headed towards, and started to walk toward it. "Oh, just over here, I wanted to make a quick appearance and check on stuff. But I figured I could see if I could feel any power levels first, to see if there was a battle, before I went prancing around." I laughed a little, than looked at him a little suspiciously.

"So why did you land here? You mentioned you felt a power level?" I knew it was all together possible he had felt me, but the level had been silenced before most had ever registered it. If he picked it up, he must be quicker and faster than the series showed.

"Yeah. I thought it might be someone fighting, like I mentioned, I was here to make sure I didn't alter things too much and to check up on Goku. Is he still alive and fine?" I nodded. "That's good." He paused and a very short, but awkward, silence fell over us. I was about to break it when he looked at me spoke. "I didn't expect the power level to belong to a woman. I thought perhaps it was. . .someone else. . ."

I folded my arms on my hips and stared at him with an open mouth. He quickly tried to amend his prior statement. "No, no! I didn't mean it to sound like that!" He said, his arms going up quickly and he shook his head. "What I meant was that back in my time, there was never anyone female with a strong power level. It was only the Z fighters than of course the Androids, but they didn't have an energy signature."

I was still frowning, but I did understand the situation. "Perhaps I wasn't in your time line because I had already left to go home?" I asked.

"Can I ask you a question?" I nodded. "Do you know anyone named. . .Astrozar." I shook my head, than thought for a moment. "Ok, than how about. . .um. . .Mike?" A cold jolt went through me, my vision greyed out and I must have gone rather white, because Trunks stepped forward. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah." I muttered, trying to remind myself to breathe again. How had our intervention with being here affected things so much? Trunks knew about us! "He's my boyfriend. But. . .if you know him, why don't you know me? I came here first, aren't I around in your future?" The thought made a dark set of thoughts seep into the back of my mind.

He didn't reply right away, he just blinked at me in surprise. "Well. . .I don't know. I don't remember you, and I never knew Astrozar long or well enough to know to ask or heard him speak about you. I'll have to ask Mom." I nodded my thanks and sat down on the grass, still feeling a little light headed. Trunks leaned against a tree while I gathered my strength back, neither of us spoke, he only watched me curiously and seemed to be thinking just as deeply as I was. I jumped in surprise as he suddenly broke the deep silence. "I think I remember Mom speaking with Astrozar once, when she was talking about my father, he mentioned his love and they talked about it for a while. . .I need to talk to Mom about you. Maybe she can answer our questions." Trunks stated, I knew he was concerned that I had died like Goku. It wasn't a good thought, but lots of things happened by the time Trunks was this age.

I nodded. "I'd appreciate that. Thanks." I said as I stood up again.

"I'd better get back, I told Mom I'd be right back." I nodded and followed him back into the clearing which held the Time Capsule. It seemed only a second in time as we parted ways and he was gone. Promising to return as quickly as he could with the answer that might save my life if something had happened that could be changed.

I shook the thoughts from my mind and walked through to the next larger clearing where the large waterfall gracefully deposited the water quietly into the large crystal clear lake below. I took my time getting there thinking about what Goku had told me. "I need to train. I want to be able to survive if I come into a confrontation with the Androids or Cell, let alone Freeza. Especially if I intend to defend my family and friends back on Earth against Freeza. But I also don't want to go back to Master Roshi's. I hate the way he looks at me." I muttered as I walked down the small deer trail to the lake's shallow shore, choosing a spot I'd made the first time I arrived, a little pool cut off from the lake by a secured stone dam. I laid down on my stomach and looked down into the crystalline surface nearly a foot below me. I closed my eyes and let my hand hover just above the water's surface. "Show me what I want to see, show me Freeza. Show me his actions and his thoughts." My voice was soft, as I concentrated on my telepathic psychometry. The water in front of me shimmered and a scene appeared within the small pool, I focused my attention to it, trying to keep my concentration even and secured on my target. Long distance psychometry is extremely difficult.



Freeza paced the small dimly lit room with his hands clasped behind his back impatiently. His eyes cold and filled with such hatred that I nearly lost contact with the distance. He seemed to look directly at me, but I knew he couldn't possibly see me or know. "Have you found it yet?!" He demanded someone outside my viewing, I had already strained my reach to find him and view him, I didn't risk to broaden the view.

"No, Lord Freeza, it might as well have slipped into a black hole. There isn't even sight of the ionic trail." The unknown speaker stated in a shallow, weak voice.

Freeza's expression, already dangerous, turned darker. I swallowed hard and forced myself to continue to concentrate, it was imperative that I learned as much as I could about where Freeza was and how much time I had until it was too late. "You've failed me for the last time, Dardion. I told you I would not forgive failure again!" He yelled, his mouth turned down into a frown. "Why do you disobey me? I asked only that you find the damned Saiyan Pod! It can't be that difficult!" Without waiting for an answer, he raised his finger, I could feel the pain in my temples from the power level.

"Please, Lord Freeza, I am trying my hardest!" Dardion begged, but Freeza released the energy without hesitation or mercy. The entity Dardion, since I could not see him, disappeared. I swallowed hard, I had just witnessed Freeza kill one of his own men.

"As I said before. I do not tolerate failure." He slammed his hand down and looked out at the huge window facing the vast space. "Damn you! Where are you!!!!" He shouted out at the void. Than began to pace again, I increased my attention upon him, willing my psychometry to touch him only enough to hear what he was thinking. How could she have possibly escaped me! No one escapes from Freeza! I almost laughed, I'd forgotten that he thought about himself in a third person point of view. I should not have let her out of my sight! I should have kept her with me at all times, and stayed with her in the Medic Room! Fool!! This is the second time she has slipped through my fingers! It will not happen again! This is for certain! I will find her and I will put a stop to her running from me forever! She will be mine! She rightfully belongs to me! That coward of a mother doesn't deserve to hide her, she knew I was coming for the baby!

But why did she risk the infant's life in space just to keep her from me? Why?! She knew I would not kill the child! Why sacrifice everything? Just to keep her own pride and to know she got the better of me! Darkla was always like that, she and that damned husband of hers! Freeza was thinking as I blinked. He was speaking of me! My mother was Darkla, Mike had told me so, but what was he talking about? I didn't belong to him anymore than I would let Master Roshi see me in a bikini!

. . .maybe I can make it up to her. Make her see how her mother deceived her! I cursed myself for missing part of his thoughts and tried to focus back into them, but found I was becoming too preoccupied. But what if I don't recognize her again! She can shift into different forms. I nearly didn't recognize her when first had her! She was gone by the time the DNA analysis came back! If I had only trusted my instinct. . .but it may already be too late.

What if I can't reason with her? What if she insists on hating me? What will I do then? She is mine! A slow smile spread of Freeza's face, he seemed to look directly at me, closed his eyes and laughed softly.

:You are mine, Ambrlyn. I have found you at long last. . .: His voice echoed in my mind, sent, not heard. He had found me out. . .



The pool suddenly went blank, exhaustion was getting the better of me, I had tried too hard to think and focus at the same time. "I should probably warn Goku and the others where he is and what's going on. . ." I thought out loud, than stopped myself and laughed humorlessly. "Wait one blasted second!! What am I thinking? If I tell them, they'll lecture me again! No. ..better I train hard and make sure that he doesn't go anywhere. Perhaps if I only become stronger, train in my born form, maybe I'll stand a chance!" I decided aloud as I started to take off into the air, but realized I had drained more energy than I would have liked to. "Damn. Looks like I'll have to 'port." I tried to explain to Goku when he first taught me how to use his Instant Transmission Technique that it was just like my childhood one of 'porting, or teleporting. But he refused to believe it. To each his own, right?

As I appeared at Kame's Lookout. I jumped nearly to the sky when Piccolo's deep voice greeted me from behind. "Ambrlyn. I was wondering when you'd pop up again. You're good at disappearing." I smiled, and put a hand to my chest, willing my heart to beat again.

"And when are you going to stop giving me a heart attack every time I 'pop back up'?" I replied, exhaling sharply as I looked around. Goku was only a couple of feet away, and looked rather. . .upset. . .at me.

"I don't like it when you disappear. We've been trying to reach you for a while. Have you any idea how long you've been gone?!" Goku reprimanded me, I winced, I never could take being yelled at, but I also knew better than to get into a fight with Goku.

"It was only for a few hours." I muttered, my eyes glowering darkly at Goku's angry glare.

"It's been three days, Ambrlyn!" My mouth dropped nearly to my feet. Three days!

What had I been doing for three days?! The viewing had been instantaneous, hadn't it? I had never traveled such a distance with my abilities before, and the possibility that I had been struggling to find Freeza and focus on him for three days caused me to pause. "I. . .I hadn't noticed. . ." Goku opened his mouth to say something, but stopped, he could always tell when I was lying. And knew instantly that I was just as shocked as I looked! Goku was a Saiyan and therefore had telepathic ability, to lie to him was just like being covered in fudge and saying you didn't eat it.

"We were worried! None of us could sense you! King Kai said he sensed you several light years from here, near Freeza. . ." My mind began to spin. Had I really traveled all that distance, yes, I knew I had, but only in the mind, right? The fact in question, was what if it was too far, and I stretched out to hear him. I had seldom been able to hear thoughts so clearly from the distance I had today. . .

Goku's face was masked in worry and Kame was touching my arm, bringing me back to them from my deep thoughts. "Child, please, you aren't making our worries go away. Tell me you weren't in search of Freeza." My heart froze as I looked up.

To say that I hadn't been would be a horrible lie. I braced myself for it and began to tell them my best one. "I can assure you, I went to a place here on this planet to be alone, perhaps I lost track of time. I simply laid down by the lake's side there and. . ." One look into Kame's trusting eyes and the truth spilled out. "I used my abilities to reach out and see Freeza. He was really far away, so it took everything I had just to find him, than I had to concentrate to see him clearly and hearing his thoughts cut that focus in half. . ." Kame's eyes were wide, matching the others around me.

:You could hear his thoughts?!?!: King Kai's voice echoed softly in my mind, I winced. It had occurred to me some time ago that perhaps since Saiyans were telepathic, that a mixture of bloods between Ice Jin and Saiyan would give me horrendous psychic potential. Especially since Freeza had been using psychokinesis on me when we first met.

"Yes. It's not difficult, once you've cut the distance off. Than, everything got clear. . ." My mind fogged over, going instantly back to Freeza, his presence filled my sense, I could even smell the cold steel from the ship around him. "He is still searching for me." I stated in a haunted tone.

:Ambrlyn, you're there again, aren't you?: I jolted, my mind focusing on the others again.

:Yes.: I replied mentally. Surprise filled my mind as King Kai and Goku both gapped at me. I hadn't mentioned being able to do these things before because of this kind of reaction. Now I was more of an enigma to them.

:Goku, this is something I never expected! She can travel long distances within seconds, that I imagined possible with loads of training. But to this extent . . .I never imagined!: I heard these thoughts softly in the back of my mind, although I could feel the soft barrier around them to keep them secret. :Goku.: The barrier hardened. :If she can hear his thoughts from this distance, the mixture of bloods has created super psychic powers within her. She is working on a higher level than I am. I felt her going to Freeza, she was not here. That's 'Bi-location' a very dangerous way to sneak around. Her abilities must go beyond this. . .: A wave of relief filled me as he was not afraid of me, but in awe. I had been frightened when the barrier thickened and hardened that he would tell Goku to be wary of me, that I might cause harm. But he wasn't. Joy unexpectedly filled me.

:Ambrlyn.: King Kai's voice filled my mind once more. :Tell me, how long have you had these talents and why not mention them before?: A wave of shame overcame me, but I sweltered it instantly when King Kai commented on it. :There's no reason to feel guilty about this, I was simply curious.:

:I've had most of these gifts since I can remember. They've gotten considerably stronger, each year, but I had guidance when I was younger on some of them, the others I controlled naturally.: I replied, my mental voice dry and flat.

:I see.: He said softer than before, and was gone.

"I'm sorry, Goku, I really didn't know. . ." The world suddenly went spinning and the ground tilted beneath my feet. "Goku. . ." My voice sounded slurred, and my vison blurred.

:Ambrlyn.: My name came from a voice that sent a cold jolt of terror through me. :I've been searching for you for a long time. Clever girl. Hiding your location like this. Come to me.: The connection was undeniable, I felt my powers stirring within me, my gifts opening up to 'port.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I screamed, as I curled into a little ball and shook uncontrollably, I felt as though fingers were inside of me, pulling me from my body. Voices from around me and hands touching me were so distant that I barely felt them.

:You can not resist me. Come, Ambrlyn. Come where I am. . .: His voice was soft, lulling, and my powers longed to be with another like me. My body convulsed as it forced me to relax my shape, becoming my Birth shape.

:Go away. . .: I managed a feeble response, even as I felt my mind detach to seek him out.

:Ambrlyn. . .we meet again at last! You've been a very bad girl!: He scolded me softly, his eyes were still closed, I felt the cold floor beneath my feet and against my tail as it swished along the surface.

:Let me go.: I muttered to him, realizing that his mind was holding me here, in his ship.

He smiled a cruel smile and opened his crimson eyes, and seemed very surprised to see me. :You are a splitting image of myself and your mother.: He muttered softly, his eyes taking in my features.

My eyes narrowed as I reached out to where my body was, but stopped as I felt his mental touch following me. :You'll never find me. But that shouldn't worry you, when you least expect me, I'll come for you, Freeza.: The words were there before I could fully acknowledge at I had thought them.

He smiled smoothly, no anger or irritation at all in his expression. "Ambrlyn, have they told you who your parents are yet, and why your mother sent you away?" His physical voice was a little harder for me to hear, but I heard it well enough.

:Yes.: I replied shortly. I didn't want to talk to him more than I had too, my anger at him and where he was headed blocked my fear of his attacking me.

"They've lied to you, Ambrlyn. Your father's family name was Devishkon. You were given the last name of the father of your blood. Ambrlyn Arcilia. Or should I say Ashadawna Brlyn Arcilia." My eyes must have widened considerably, because his smile grew. "Yes, I know your true name, I should. I named you. . ."

My blood went cold that moment. And I felt myself quiver with the meaning of it all. I closed my eyes and willed myself to think back to if I had heard something to make this statement something to fear.

It didn't take long.



Flashback

I smiled at my grandpa as he nodded his approval of my small card castle. I giggled, causing it to fall. "Very good, little Arcy!" That's what he calls me! Arcy or Brlyn! I giggle just to hear his voice in my head calling to me. "Now, next time remember to keep concentrating on keeping it steady and together. It's important to always remember that you're the only one going to protect what you hold dear." I nodded, my excitement left me as I felt his disapproval on the back of his words.

"Sorry." I muttered, my eyes lowering to the wood floor. His finger tilted my chin back up to look at him.

"Don't be sorry, just remember. You're still young." His gentle words and soothing emotions caused me to perk up again. My ears popped up and I felt my tail swish in joy.

It was a hard day that day, and at night, while he sat on his chair in front of the fire, I sat curled on the floor next to him, closest to the fire. Playing. He laughed occasionally as he watched me. I looked at up him and smiled. "G'pa? Can I hear my story again?" I asked, he smiled down at me, his face brightened.

"Alright. .." He said as he straightened and patted his lap, I crawled up and snuggled close, ready for my story. "You were born far away from here, by a mother who loved you, and a father whose love for terror was equal to his love of causing others agony. You. . ." He tucked my chin lightly, I giggled. "Are a princess of two worlds, trapped between the love of a mother and a father. While he was ruthless and vicious, his heart softened when he heard his crimes had created joy. Hearing of you made him want to be a part of your life, but your mother, a wise and loving person, saw what harm he could do, sent you far away." I knew that this was just bits and pieces of this story, but I knew he always told them this way. To make me ask questions. "Your father, angry at your mother, flung her aside and chased after you, but you were long gone. In a blind fury, his anger destroyed everything that your mother held dear, including your adopted father. Her pain and anger at herself were the death of her, she killed herself in an attempt to take your father with you. But, like you, he is not easily harmed. He pushed her aside and sought you out."

"And he named me? Isn't that right? When he discovered my mother had lied to him?" I pushed, trying to prolong the telling.

He laughed. "Yes! That's right! Clever girl!" He cooed to me as he gave me a tender hug. "Yes! When he discovered from your mother that she had birthed him a baby girl. He wanted to know what she named you, and. . ." He paused, giving me time to chime in.

"She told him that I didn't have one." He laughed again, watching the fire with his deep brown eyes.

"Very good! She told him that children conceived of pain were not named until they revealed a suitable name. Since their fathers never claimed them to name them. Your father was angry. 'No child of my blood shall have an empty name. As her blood and body father, I claim her and do name her Ashadawna Brlyn Arcilia of the House of Arcilia after my mother's maiden name Isadawna.' Your mother was very upset, but. . .you chirped at the sound of your name. And knew your father the instant your saw him. In fear and terror, your mother sent you far away, now that he had claimed you, she no longer could keep you. Children born of another father while in wedlock were given to their father's, if they so claimed them. Terror drove her to fling your little ship as far as she could manage, and with an extra mental push she was able to keep him from ever catching it." I yawned, my eyes falling and my senses dropping as I felt sleep begin to pull. . .

"Good night, sweet Ashadawna Brlyn Arcilia. . ."

End Flashback



:Your. . .my father?: I felt numb. My memory. . .I felt such happiness knowing that my true father was still out there searching for me, that he loved me, and now this. . .

"Yes, Ambrlyn, I didn't know who you were right away, when I picked up the signal from that strong telepath all those years ago that you had been found, I wasn't sure if it could be true. You were over four years from where Darkla launched you carelessly into space. Under normal circumstances, a trip that long would have killed you. But somehow you survived, I don't know, but I'm pleasantly surprised." His words were gentle and soothing.

:You're saying that my mother didn't care for me, and that you did, after you discovered that your rape spawned a child.: Freeza didn't respond right away, he actually looked and felt ashamed.

"I admit, I should have searched harder, farther away, as my father and brother told me to, but I did not. I was sure you were somewhere close. . .And as for your mother not caring? You tell me, if you loved your child, would you send it carelessly away, just because a man you hated wanted to see the baby?" I shook my head, but still didn't fully understand. "I backed off, so that she would spare your life, as she threatened to kill you. But when I proved I was able and willing to claim you, she panicked. . ."

I put a hand up and shook my head, he stopped and looked at me patiently. :This is too much. If you want me to believe you, let me go back, WITHOUT following me, I will keep a string out for you to know my vicinity, but never location. If you want me to believe, I need to think.: He nodded. Instantly, I felt myself rushing back the way I came, as though on a giant rubber band.

In the back of my mind, I heard his voice. :Think well and remember what I said. Trust your instincts, do the research, you're strong, brilliant and. . .if you could escape from me, than you can do anything.: The last was covered with humor, I smiled in spite of myself.

The pain I felt as I opened my eyes was not as great as the shock and surprise of seeing myself in a dark room with Goku, Kame, and Gohan next to my bed. As I moved, Goku sprang awake and to my side. "What happened?!?" He demanded, his eyes full of worry and relief.

"It's a long. . .difficult story." I heard myself mutter, to tired to go into farther explanation.