Okay, I decided to load up as much as I could this time, considering the fact that no one's been reading it and my mom's threatening to delete this story from my computer. (Eek!) Must upload as much as possible in case she's serious!
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Chapter 6: Lilac Petals and Good Demons
The next morning, we began again with our training. I trained diligently, my thoughts set on one thing and one thing alone; I had to defeat Tiger. I had to get that monster out of my head and out of my reality. I didn't know how he'd gotten to the Z world, but I intended to find out that as well as destroy whatever power had brought him here.
"Angel," I heard a voice call out above Trunks slight lecture over combination attacks. He shut his mouth and backed away slowly. He turned and left on his heel and I turned to see who had called my name out. I found Vegeta standing there with Goku.
"Y-Yes?" I asked, a little uncertainly.
"I asked Trunks earlier if we could talk to you alone for a few minutes," Goku said with a huge grin on his face, "Vegeta wanted to ask you about our after-dark training."
"Do you still want to train at night, Angel?" Vegeta asked and I nodded.
"Good. We'll start after Trunks and the others go to sleep," he smirked, "Your stronger already. Did something happen to you last night?" I shook my head ferociously.
"No, Trunks just wanted to show me a cliff where we could see the sunset," I answered, "Nothing more."
"We saw it all, Angel," Vegeta told me with a slight glint of light in his eyes, "And heard it. We are mere moving drawings in your dimension, aren't we?" I was shocked, to say the least. I nodded numbly and blushed a bit, scuffing the ground with my foot.
"Hey, it's okay, Angel," Goku smiled gently and put a hand on my shoulder. I flinched slightly but looked up with a wavery smile, glad neither were angry with me.
"I can see why you didn't want to tell me that," Vegeta said thoughtfully, "So in that cartoon, Kakarott and I became Gogeta? Who's Gogeta?" I grinned at him, cat-like.
"Do you remember the Yin-Yang Theory?" I asked casually. He nodded after a moment's hesitation, "Opposites attract." Was all I said.
"Is this some kind of riddle?" he asked irritably.
"Yup," I nodded with a grin, "You need to figure it out. Then you can become your dreams." He looked puzzled for a moment, then shook his head to clear it. "I'll see you two tonight, right?" I waved as I marched after Trunks. This was going to be a long three years, I could tell.
***
It was three months later. Trunks had continued to train me by day and Goku and Vegeta by night. I hadn't let it slip to anyone else that Tiger was my brother or that the Z fighters were a cartoon in my old reality.
I had become strong. Very strong. I was close to Super Saiyan Level 2. Powerful, very powerful. But I had as of yet to have an actual sparring match with anyone. I was still sharpening my skills, was my reason. But Trunks, Goku, and Vegeta knew it was because of my fear to be touched.
All three of them had worked hard to show me their attacks. I had a little bit of each of them within me now, Goku's Kamehameha and the Instant Transmission, Trunks' fighting technique overall, and Vegeta's Gallic Gun (Is that right?), Big Bang Attack, and a little of his attitude. I'm proud of that fact.
"I'm going to do it," I said while I was fighting my invisible opponent.
"Do what?" Trunks asked, surprised by my sudden outburst of confidence.
"I'm going to spar with one of you," I said as I turned to him, mopping my forehead of sweat, "I'm getting tired of the 'invisible opponent' deal, I need to fight someone real. How will I be able to defeat Tiger if I can't fight against another person?"
"My sentiments exactly," said a voice behind me and Trunks, who had turned to look at another sound. Trunks whipped his head around and stopped in his tracks.
"Trunks, please tell me that Tiger is not behind me," I whined out, gasping from the closeness of the male behind me.
"It isn't Tiger," Trunks shook his head slightly, backing up. His eyes were wide and his mouth slightly ajar. "I don't know him, but he's a lot strong than you or I." I stiffened as a clawed finger, definitely not Tiger, gently touched my cheek and caressed it softly. This went on for about a minute before the being behind me took my shoulders gently in his hands and turned me around to face him. I recognized him immediately.
"Dabura!" I hissed and backed away, my fighting stance more threatening than it had ever been before. He chuckled, his deep, throaty voice scratching a bit as he shook his head.
"Not Dabura," he said, "I'm his brother, the good Demon King. There are two of us in the Demon Realm and we have full access to observing what goes on in this world."
"Y-You're good?" I stammered, raising slightly in my stance. He grinned like the Cheshire Cat and I growled a bit, uncertain of anything.
"Yes," he answered, "You have well said yourself the Yin-Yang Theory, as you call it. I am the light and Dabura is the dark."
"Yin-Yang?" Trunks questioned me.
"I'll explain later," I said, not taking my eyes off of the supposedly good Demon King. "What's your name?"
"Dirken," he answered with a sly grin, "I came to tell you something, but I cannot tell you until Tiger attacks. I came to tell you that you mustn't be afraid and that the Yin-Yang Theory is true for all. I must leave now, before Dabura finds out I'm missing." He disappeared faster than he had come, leaving only Trunks and me with the memory of him. ( For those of you that don't know [Like Mr. D], Dabura is a pink-skinned, pointy-eared demon from the shadow world of the Z Earth. He was taken over by Babidi in the pre-Buu saga of Dragonball Z and he fought to release Buu. This whole story is based on him and Dirken, whom I made up, so pay attention to this.)
I told Trunks everything. About the conversations with Vegeta, I mean. He was a little mad, but that was all. That said and done, it was time. Time to fight, time to become a true Martial Arts Warrior. A Z warrior.
I stood in the field of baron desert ground, my feet evenly spaced onto the rocky soil and my jaw set with determination. I was going to beat my first opponent, or at least try to get some good hits in. I was to fight Trunks, of all people, because the others were much too busy to take the time to spar with an "amateur artist".
"Trunks, go easy on me," I said uneasily, "I've never done this before." He smirked at this and I smiled shakily, then dropped into a fighting stance, ready to attack or defend, whichever was needed first. There were few places that I didn't cover with my arms and I was self-conscious of being hit, but I pushed that all away from my head.
"Go on, Angel," he said smoothly, "Take your best shot." He dropped into a fighting stance similar to my own, "If you dare." I growled and launched toward him with my full body strength. The air rushed about me, tickling my slightly-longer hair a bit. My punch hit head-on into his stomach and he countered with a judo-like sweep of his feet. However, I was prepared for this and jumped out of the way.
I didn't wait for him to regain his balance, but attacked in a round-house kick, knocking him back to his feet. My mind was swirling with thoughts of rebellion, but my body would not cooperate, to which I was most pleased. The force of the air moving against my solid arms and crashing into real, live moving targets was a rush I'd never encountered before and gladly embraced.
(Small explanation of the below attacks- The entire DBZ genre rotates around the Z fighters and their martial arts abilities. They can fly and use attacks using the power within themselves, the very soul of their own body. Their fighting soul. This means that emotions such as anger, rage, sorrow, and love [not directed toward the opponent] can fuel their power. The Saiyans have a special ability that allows them to double their "ki", what the soul-power is and they turn into a golden creature with aqua-colored eyes.)
Trunks powered up a Big Bang attack in his curled fingers and I decided to try out my own new technique on him.
"Lilac Petals Attack!" I growled under my breath, not allowing him to see the lavender-colored ki built up in the palm of my hand. It was small and compact, but was built to pack quite a wallop, so to speak. As soon as he fired the Big Bang, I let the Lilac Petals fly.
Here's why they're called Lilac Petals. As soon as I released the tiny, baseball-sized ki, it spread out, becoming tiny missiles, each shaped like a lilac petal. The petals may have looked small and harmless, but once they were airborne with a target in mind, they were heat-seeking missiles with strength three times as powerful as Goku's Kamehameha Wave. One of the tiny petals engulfed the Big Bang in a swallow of energy, bringing it back to me in the form of regenerating energy.
I grinned as the two dozen petals landed roughly onto separate parts of Trunks body, drawing power with each tiny hit. They stayed intact and flew back toward me, returning the ki I'd released and the ki they had stolen from Trunks.
"Wha-What was that?" Trunks asked, pulling up one of his sleeves, which the petals had simultaneously ripped into his skin, creating a ring of blood on the sleeve.
"My new attack," I answered with a grin, "Lilac Petals. Does it work pretty okay?"
"Okay?!" he shouted, "Okay? Those things are amazing, I mean, look at me, I'm covered head-to-foot in my own blood and my power level is practically non-existent!" He looked both exasperated and proud at the same time.
"Come on," I laughed, "let's go clean you up." He nodded sheepishly and followed me as I led the way into the six-bedroom Capsule cabin we'd lived in for the past three months.
"Trunks, there's some senzu beans in the kitchen, then you can go take a shower, okay?" Trunks did as he was told and went into the kitchen and returned to the living room healed but still covered in blood. He smiled at me and said, "I didn't know you had it in you."
"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," I said even as my face turned red, "I am not very creative." He shook his head and headed for his room. (This is not true of me and all off my friends can tell you likewise.)
In all the time I'd been in the Capsule Cabin, I only knew of three places. The first was the living room and the second was the kitchen. My room was the first in the hallway and there was a bathroom in the room, so I'd never had the reason to go down to the other rooms, let alone see who was in where.
But now, since I did have a moment to spare, I decided to explore them a little. What's the worst that could happen? Famous last words...
I traveled down the hallway, until I heard some voices coming from one of the rooms. I peeked inside and smiled when I saw Bra and Pan playing with the dolls they'd brought along. It was a precious scene indeed. My feet carried me to another room, when I heard a shouted voice, "What do you think you're doing?!?!" it said loudly. "Get out! Get OUT!" I squealed silently in my brain and ran to the nearest door, not wanting to be questioned as to why I had come down the corridor in the first place.
I never expected to end up in an occupied room.
I pressed my back against the door and listened intently for any sounds coming from behind it. I heard pounding footsteps recede, and was thankful.
That is, until I heard the shower running in the bathroom. I sank to the ground, thinking Dende himself was laughing at me. I heard the sound of the water shut off and dropped my head between my knees, screwing my eyes tightly shut. I stayed there on the floor, hoping that whoever it was wouldn't notice me.
The person walked straight past me the first time and I gave a mental sigh of relief that he or she hadn't noticed me. Then they began the trek back from whatever they had done at the bed to the left. I could feel their eyes staring at me. Seconds ticked pass and no sound came from whoever it was. I raised my head just a little to see who it was.
"I wouldn't," said the deep voice I knew all too well. "Not if I were you." His voice was cold, unlike the warm, sweet harmony I heard from him the majority of the time. "Stand up." My shocked brain responded by making my leg muscles lift me so that my back was still against the door.
"Trunnnks?" I whimpered out, even more frightened than I'd ever been of him before.
"Relax, Angel," he told me with his warm, caring voice back in rhyme with my heart, "I won't hurt you." I did relax. I kept my eyes shut, but my arms were limp at my sides, my lips pressed in a tight white line.
"Open your eyes, I'm dressed now," he told me with a wide smirk I didn't quite see until my eyes were fully open. He was right in front of me, staring into my eyes and I knew my fears were evident.
"Angel, I won't hurt you," Trunks repeated. His tone was reassuring and I knew the words were meant to assuage my fears. But they only deepened them.
"I know, Trunks, and I'm sorry," I gave a shaky grin, "But you know me."
"Yes, Angel," he smiled and sighed at the same time, "I know you all too well." My face had fallen, but a small smile still remained as I gave him a gentle kiss so quick, he probably was wondering whether I'd touched him at all.
"Then you do realize that I love you," I whispered, "Don't you, boyo." His eyes widened in genuine surprise and I giggled behind my fingers that I hadn't realized I had raised to my lips.
"Trunks, back in my dimension, I wrote stories about you guys, constantly," I smiled, "But you'd never believe me what about unless I told you one. And for that, I'd need time."
"We've plenty of time now, Angel," Trunks told me with a playful smile playing on his lips. I gasped in mock surprise and said, "So we do, Trunks, I forgot!" He chuckled deep in his throat, giving me goosebumps all across my arm.
"Come on, let's go back to that cliff," He took my hand and I flinched lightly. He let go and grabbed a shirt. I was glad he'd kept my focus on his beautiful blue eyes.
Since it had been mid-afternoon when we'd left the cabin, we reached the cliff as the sun reached the five o'clock degree. I sat down and drew my knees to my chest, concentrating on remembering my favorite story. (For those of you who have neglected to read my Child Called Angel, this part is written out.)
"I've written so many," I grimaced lightly at the memory of my computer, bogged down by dozens upon dozens of half-finished stories, "But the first stands out in my memory. When I first began writing stories, all of them had me or someone very similar to me in them. This particular one was named Child Called Angel." Trunks grinned at this.
"Did this Angel look like you?"
"No, not completely," I smiled shyly, "She had black hair, like mine, and blue eyes. Her full name was Angel Trinity Matyo and she was orphaned at the age of five. The man who took her in was her uncle, Matt Matyo." I paused and grit my teeth, looking over the green trees of the edge of the Black Forest. "When I wrote this, my brother and father and all them weren't trying to rape me." I fiddled lightly with my gi top before continuing. "Matt Matyo raped, starved, and beat Angel. She didn't have a single friend in the world." I looked up into Trunks' eyes for his reaction as he gasped loudly.
"A five-year-old girl?" His face was pale and he looked slightly ill.
"She got away every once in a while," I said with a sad smile, "She went to her 'special place', a cave hidden by a waterfall in a local park." Trunks nodded with grim eagerness, soaking the information as if this had actually happened to someone. "When she was eight years old, she was running through the Satan City marketplace."
"What happened then?"
"Oh, you'll never guess," I giggled nervously, "Two little boys were having a race in the same square. Both were half-Saiyan, one had black hair, the other had purple."
"Me and Goten?" Trunks guessed.
"Goten and me," I corrected.
"You have purple hair? I thought you were full Saiyan!" Trunks said seriously. I stared at him before I burst into violent laughter. "What? I'm serious!"
"I know you are, that's why it's so funny!" I said, still laughing, "Trunks, I was correcting your grammar." Trunks looked at me, clueless for a moment before he started laughing as well.
"Angel, hurry up and finish before we laugh our sides out!" Trunks said, catching his breath as I tried to as well.
"Trunks, do you think some of Goten's stupidity has rubbed off on you?" I asked and we started laughing all over again. Once we caught our breath again, he punched my arm lightly.
"English was never my best subject, Angel," he grinned.
"Ow, Trunks, that hurts!" I reprimanded him seriously, rubbing my arm in pain.
"Sorry," he said sheepishly.
"Anyway," I said, exasperated, "Yes, it was you and Goten," I grinned, cat-like, "You run right into Angel and topple her and yourself to the ground. You guys talk a little while and you find out about her uncle. Right when you do, however, he finds her. You get to CC (Capsule Corporation, I'm never typing that out again.) and Bulma finds out and adopts Angel and Matt goes to jail." Trunks sighed in relief. "But the story doesn't end there." Trunks face came back to full attention again. "That night, they find out that Angel is half-Saiyan. Her father was Vegeta's childhood friend, Nabo."
"Nabo?" Trunks questioned, his eyebrow raised.
"In my world, your names are all puns," I grinned furtively, "Kakarott, Goku's real name, meant Carrot. Goku meant Air. Vegeta was short for Vegetable. Nabo was a Spanish word for Turnip, but you know I made him up. Unfortunately for you, Bra, Bulma, and Mr. and Mrs., Briefs, you guys were named after different types of underwear." His face contorted into a grimace of surprise and disgust and the combination of which made me laugh again. "Anyway," I rolled my eyes, "This made Vegeta a little more sentimental toward Angel and he decided to train her. But Nabo had already trained her and she was Super Saiyan Level 2 by the time Vegeta reached her."
"Level...2?" Trunks squeaked.
"Yup!" I grinned, "Then she met Gohan. Now, she was one of those people that hide behind a smile until they just can't stand it anymore."
"Like you," Trunks caught my eyes and locked me in his gaze.
"Yeah," I smiled meekly, "Like me." I looked down, unable to continue. His hand reach out and brushed away a tear I hadn't known had fallen. For once in my time with him, I didn't cringe away from his touch.
"Angel, you don't have to hide what you're afraid of, not around me," I looked up and gave a small, weak smile.
"I know, Trunks," I sighed, "It's just hard to break habit and fear." A sudden song popped into my head and I laughed bitterly at the memory.(OK, this //...// means singing, 'kay? Don't flame me about this, it correlates to the story, no worries there.)
//Hold on, but don't hold too tight
Let go, it's gonna be all right
Don't run away from what your heart is sayin'
Be strong and face what you're afraid of
Show em' what you're made of
I know it's hard when your hope is gone
But you gotta keep holdin' on//
I looked up at Trunks, who looked dazed by the song I'd sung.
"My favorite song," I said, "It's called 'Hold On', by a group called B*Witched. I never really followed it's philosophy." Trunks looked me in the eyes again.
"Maybe it is time you started following your own, Angel," Trunks told me with a gentle, knowing smile.
"Maybe," I said with a sigh, "Will you help me, Trunks?"
"How could I refuse?" He inquired, his eyebrows both raised.
"Thank you, Trunks," I gave him another slight kiss on his cheek, but this one was long enough he could tell. He looked slightly dazed for a few moments, making me laugh again before he shook his head, shaking himself out of his bedazzlement. The sun was sinking slowly beyond the horizon.
Feeling tired, I leaned against Trunks arm and felt his start of surprise. I was content despite all of my fears and was soon lulled to sleep by his gentle breathing and warm body heat.
Trunks watched as the extremely tired and emotionally worn-out girl fell asleep against him. He smiled to himself as he watched the first stars come out in the sky.
"Angel, I will help you," he said to his sleeping beauty. "You can count on it, love." He smiled again as she shifted her head to lay on his chest and wrapped her arms around his middle. He brought his own arms around her to pull her into his lap in a more comfortable position and stroked her hair lightly and soon was asleep himself.
***
Whoa, did I really write that? No worries from me, peeps, I refuse to write a lemon...this might go R though, even without the cursing and such....lots of violence coming, though, but I'm going to try and not be too graphic.
N: She's going to load up the next chapter anyway, so why bother with quotes?
A: Neko, don't worry, I'll find a place in the story for you...maybe in disguise as Kittymon. A preview on the Digimon!