Mind Games – Part Nine

A Dragonball Z fanfic

By Hana Noir

The change in the air was the first thing Kyrie noticed then the doors swung open. It was warmer, fresher and held so many wonderful scents. She inhaled deeply, letting it fill her lungs. Side by side, she and Piccolo walked through the doors toward the little group gathered outside. They squinted as their eyes, accustomed for so long to the harsh white glare of the room, adjusted to the softer light of the summer sun.

"Piccolo! Kyrie!" Dende greeted them with a glad cry, rushing to meet them. Grinning, Kyrie knelt down as he approached, and he threw his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly. Beyond him, Mr. Popo, Tien, Chau-tzu and Gohan smiled in welcome. Kyrie straightened up to see them. It felt odd to be here, after being alone with Piccolo for so long. Their faces seemed different somehow, or maybe it was just that her perceptions had changed. A hand brushed against hers fleetingly and she glanced over at Piccolo. He barely turned his head but she could sense encouragement from him.

"How was it?" Tien asked, looking the pair over. He could tell that they had changed a great deal in the time they had been alone, especially Piccolo. There was something in the former Demon King's aura that he had never seen before. He studied them closely while waiting for an answer.

"It was… definitely interesting," Kyrie finally replied, smiling a bit wryly.

"It went well," Piccolo added, giving credit where it was due. "Kyrie improved a great deal."

Tien's eyes lit with interest. "Really?" He knew that for Piccolo to say something like that, it had to be true. He wondered how good she really was. "Feel like sparring?"

She smiled at him, making him realize what a pretty smile she had. He blinked, wondering where that had come from. "I'd like that," she said. "But not right now. I just want to enjoy being out of that Room for a little while."

"Oh, of course," Tien replied a bit sheepishly. He had gotten used to fighters like Goku who were always up for a quick match no matter the situation.

Kyrie lifted her arms, stretching her body until she stood on her tiptoes. She relaxed with a little groan. "I think I'm going to fly around a little. I want to feel the wind against me," she said with a slight grin. "I'll be back in a bit." She directed that last comment at Piccolo, who gave her a slight nod. The others were impressed by the flare of energy she raised as she lifted slowly above them. Once she was clear of the Tenka, she shot of toward the west like a bullet.

Dende, serene on the outside, was smirking on the inside. He had seen the interplay between Kyrie and Piccolo. It was so subtle he doubted any of the others had picked up on it. Perhaps Tien had noticed something, but he was sure the man wouldn't say anything. He was almost positive that something more than training had gone on between them in the Room. He turned his attention back to Piccolo, who was speaking to Tien about some new techniques they had learned while in the Room.

********

Kyrie was enjoying herself. The feel of the brisk, slightly chilly, wind over her body was delicious. She performed a barrel roll, her grin turning into a full smile. She thought the surrounding landscape looked a bit familiar and then she remembered. Up ahead was the barren, empty area where Piccolo had first brought her to train. She touched down lightly upon the sandy soil, her ki extinguishing with a faint 'pop'. The air here was almost oppressively hot, pushing against her like a solid hand. She cupped her hands, a ki ball blazing in them, then fired it at a nearby bluff. There was a loud explosion and the bluff disappeared in a great cloud of smoke.

"Wow…" she said, narrowing her eyes against the dust billowing up into the air. She grinned wickedly and let rip at another outcropping, shearing it off neatly. "I should go into the demolitions business," she muttered. "This is fun!" Taking to the air, she began working on a really big ki bomb, holding it over her head as it grew. It was just about big enough to suit her when a strange voice startled her.

"So you're the one," came a voice from behind her. She jumped, losing her concentration and the ki ball dissipated. Whirling, she saw a small dark man assessing her, his arms folded over his muscular chest. His cold, slightly cruel face was like a mask, completely blank. "I've been sensing your ki for the past week or so," he continued in his rough, sinister voice. His eyes were fixated on her, taking in every detail of her appearance. She turned as he did, trying to keep him from getting behind her. She knew it was slightly paranoid, but she didn't trust him any further than she could've thrown him. "And somehow, you've managed to improve greatly in just one day…" His face was thawing, anger heating his expression. "How is that, girl?"

Kyrie stared back at him, determined to keep her cool. "Why should I tell you anything? I don't even know who you are," she retorted, her chin lifting slightly in defiance.

He snorted. "I can think of several good reasons why you should answer me, child. Your continued existence is one of them." He smirked then. "However, I will tell you who I am. I am Vegeta, prince of the Saiyajin." It was his turn to be surprised then when a sudden flash of comprehension illuminated her face.

"Of course," she said, nodding her head. "I know who you are. Piccolo told me about you." Vegeta's eyes narrowed as she inadvertently answered one of his questions. Was this one of the espers the Namek had mentioned when he has come to warn him several days earlier? Kyrie watched him with no small amount of trepidation. Piccolo's tales had painted him as an uneasy ally at best, a dangerous enemy at worst. She sure didn't want to get on his wrong side.

"The Namek, eh?" he muttered, looking slightly amused. "He is the one who has been training you." It was more a statement than a question and he began to grin evilly. "Let's see how good his training is then!!" Without any further ado, he came straight at her, his elbow driving right for her face. She blurred, dodging behind him to avoid the attack, only to run right into his extended leg. She felt the air rush out of her lungs and reinforced her ki shield as she plummeted toward the ground. She hit the ground hard, digging a small crater upon impact.

Damn, she thought, hastily climbing out of the hole her body had made. He hits hard! She took to the air again, trying to figure out where he had gone. A sudden build up of energy behind her warned her in time to dodge the ki ball coming at her. She fired off an attack of her own, moving as he deftly avoided it. Her mind was working rapidly, analyzing his moves, probing at his mind, looking for any weakness she could exploit. To her surprise, his mind was so heavily shielded that she couldn't even detect any surface thoughts or emotions. She abandoned her attempts at a mental attack and rocketed right for him, fists raised. They met above a mesa with a sound like a small sonic boom, their ki shields flaring upon contact.

*******

Piccolo was explaining to Dende about the odd incident with the Room when a sudden flare of ki off to the west impinged on his consciousness. Tien and Chau-tzu both looked up as well. A second, stronger ki made itself known seconds later.

"Son of a bitch!!" Piccolo snarled, his fists clenching in fury. "Vegeta!!!!" His ki exploded around him, making Dende stumble back several steps. His eyes widened in amazement when Piccolo simply vanished with a small 'pop'.

"He's there!" Tien said, pointed to the west where the other two kis were engaged in combat. "How did he do that?" He took to the air, waving at Dende and Chau-tzu. "I'll find out what's going on. Wait here!" He took off at top speed, wondering what in the world was going on.

*******

Vegeta was enjoying himself quite a bit. He hadn't had a decent spar since that fool Kakarott had died. While she was nowhere near as powerful as himself, the girl was an adequate partner. He almost wished that Bulma had sufficient ki to spar with him. Sparring with another male was all about dominance, proving who was the better, but sparring with a female… now that was almost erotic.

He managed to get close enough to grab hold of her, but she slipped through his grasp like a fish. He had to admit, she was faster than he was and that made her tricky to spar with. But he had noticed something odd when he had gotten in close to her. Intrigued, he put on a burst of speed, catching her around the waist. He ignored her repeated kicks to his shins, the pain minor in comparison to other battle damage. His free hand caught the braid slapping him in the face and he wound it around his hand, holding her head still. Now that he had her caught, he took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. Surprise almost made him release her and he burst out into laughter.

Kyrie regarded him with more than a small amount of concern. Has he completely lost his mind? she wondered, not sure if she should try to get away from him or not.

"So…." He said, finally ceasing his disturbing laughter, but still amused. "Who would have ever thought—" Whatever he had been about to say was interrupted by Piccolo's abrupt appearance before them. Kyrie's eyes widened; he was absolutely furious, the rage radiating off of him in almost visible waves. His ki was blood red with anger.

"Vegeta…" he growled, his voice chilling in its intensity.

The Saiyajin prince smirked at the Namek before him. This situation had potential, indeed! They stared at each other for several tense seconds before Vegeta broke the silence. "Well, well, Namek, I would have never thought you the type," he said, giving Kyrie's captured braid a small tug and grinning when she hissed at him. Piccolo's eyes narrowed dangerously.

That was the scene that Tien found when he finally reached them. He hovered there, wondering what was happening. He had never, in all the years he had know him, seen Piccolo so completely enraged. Not even when he fought Goku all those years ago, had he been anything like this. He didn't know if he should help or not, as Vegeta wasn't really hurting her.

"Tell me, Namek," Vegeta continued, still grinning. "What made you decide to take a mate?" Kyrie turned her head to glare at him. What business of it was his what they did?? Piccolo's hands were clenched so tightly that the tendons were straining whitely against his skin. Tien didn't know whether to be shocked or not, it certainly explained the differences he had noticed in Piccolo's aura. "Don't try to deny it," Vegeta smirked, taunting Piccolo further. "Your scent is all over her. I can see why you'd find her attractive, though. If I hadn't settled for that loud mouthed woman of mine, I might be tempted as well. But what I can't understand is what she sees in an ugly creature like you??"

His last comment was too much for Kyrie. She slammed her head back, the sudden move catching Vegeta off-guard, and nailed him right on the bridge of his nose. He let to go her waist to grab at his nose and she pulled away, only to be halted by his grip on her hair. So quickly that it was done before anyone realized, she brought her hand back, a razor thin beam of ki slicing through the braid. Freed, she darted to Piccolo's side, glaring at Vegeta.

The Saiyajin prince was trying to glare at her as well, blood streaming from his nose. "You bitch!!" he hissed, his voice slightly distorted. "You broke my nose!"

"Serves you right!" she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him childishly. "I only wish I'd thought to kick you in the nuts!!" Tien couldn't help himself; he burst out laughing, earning a murderous glance from Vegeta.

Piccolo looked over at Kyrie, his hand, of its own accord, coming up to touch the ragged ends of her hair. His fury reached new heights when Vegeta flung the severed braid at him. "Lose something?" he mocked, wincing as he snapped his nose back into alignment. Piccolo's enraged roar shook the nearby cliffs, and he was on Vegeta before the echo came back to them. Kyrie's eyes were wide with disbelief as Piccolo pummeled the astonished Saiyajin relentlessly. Vegeta recovered from his surprise long enough to begin to block. Soon he was on the offensive, giving as good as he got.

"We've got to stop them somehow," she said, pulling at Tien's arm. Her face was a study in fear as she watched the two powerful fighters beat each other.

The triclops shook his head. "There's no way we can stop them. We're just not powerful enough. Let's just hope they calm down before they kill each other." Kyrie stared at the two intensely, as if the force of her gaze could break them apart.

Piccolo punched Vegeta in the ribs, grinning in malevolent satisfaction as he felt the bones snap beneath his knuckles. He followed through with a rabbit punch to the back of the neck, sending the Saiyajin hurtling into the ground. Vegeta levitated up out of the ground, pausing long enough to spit out a mouthful of crimson blood and a tooth, before he attacked again. Piccolo blocked, knowing that his wrist had been at least fractured by the strength of Vegeta's kick. Sharp pain radiated up his arm when he punched, catching his opponent on the jaw. All that mattered to him was the fact that Vegeta had dared to threaten the one person who made his life worth living. He would not allow the insult to pass. They were both breathing in harsh gasps, bleeding from various small wounds and abrasions, but neither were about to concede.

Vegeta moved first, bringing up his hand and aiming it at Piccolo. "Gallic Gun!!" Piccolo barely avoided the blast, his right side smoking from the heat of his passage.

"Makanko sappo!!" he shouted, the corkscrew beam lancing out at Vegeta, catching him across the hip. Stunned, he tumbled from the sky, Piccolo in hot pursuit. He found Vegeta quickly enough and moved to stand over him.

Vegeta glared up at Piccolo, unable to stand. Blood was pooling beneath him, his dusky skin quickly becoming pale. "I… underestimated you, Namek," he said with a ghost of his usual smirk. "Didn't even bother to go super-Saiyajin." Tien and Kyrie were running over and he glanced at them. "She's not bad, you did a good job of training her."

"Goddammit, Vegeta," Piccolo growled. "You just had to push my buttons didn't you?"

Vegeta snorted. "I was curious to see what you would do to protect what you considered yours. I didn't think you'd care that much."

"Well, surprise," Piccolo said, the sarcasm in his voice biting. "If the situation had been reversed, would you have done any different?"

"Yes," Vegeta said, his voice getting softer, but no less edged. "I'd've killed you by now."

Piccolo turned to Tien and Kyrie. "Stay here with him," he ordered. "I'll get a senzu from Korin." He disappeared as quickly as he had appeared earlier.


"I have got to learn how to do that," Tien muttered, staring down at Vegeta, still amazed by the fight he had just witnessed. Kyrie knelt down next to Vegeta and reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it off and leaning over him.

Vegeta chuckled faintly, making her jump. "Going to grant a dying man a last request?" he asked, an amused light in his eyes.

"You're too damned mean to die," Kyrie snapped, ripping strips off of her shirt in an effort to bandage the spurting wound. "Must've hit an artery," she muttered, tightening the rapidly soaking bandages. Vegeta winced as she did.

Piccolo popped back in only moments later, clutching two beans in his hand. He saw Kyrie leaned over Vegeta, her shirt gone and her hands covered with blood and his temper started to rise until he realized she had been attempting to help him. He crouched down next to Vegeta, who was watching him through narrowed eyes. "Here," he grunted, poking the healing bean at the Saiyajin. He accepted it weakly, barely managing to get it into his mouth. He crunched down on it, chewed briefly and swallowed. Seconds later, strength flooded through him and he felt all his injuries fade away. He slowly rose to his feet, eyes locked with Piccolo. The tension in the air was almost palpable and Kyrie broke out in a cold sweat. Vegeta's eyes narrowed, then he grinned slightly, shooting off into the air and disappearing from sight. Kyrie breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing long enough to drag a hand across her damp forehead.

"I don't think I'll ever understand that idiot," Piccolo muttered, scowling. "And I don't plan on wasting my time trying, either." He turned back to Kyrie, frowning at the sight of her butchered hair. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she replied absently, trying to check his injuries. He waved her off, popping the other senzu bean into his mouth and quickly swallowing. "We were just sparring until you showed up. He was actually going pretty easy on me." She sighed, her shoulders slumping with fatigue.

"I'm, uh, going to head back to the Tenka, okay?" Tien said, feeling a bit like a third wheel. "Catch up with Chau-tzu. See you later." He leapt up into the air, heading for the Tenka at full speed. Once he was out of sight, Kyrie wrapped her arms around Piccolo's waist, holding him tightly. He lifted an hand to stroke her hair gently.

"You're nothing but trouble," he said, his voice soft and amused. "But I've told you that before."

"You're not much better," she replied. They stood there like that for some time, the shadows lengthening around them as the sun sank down over the horizon. "Come on," she said suddenly, grabbing his hand and rising to float beside him. "I want to see the stars from the Tenka." He complied, holding her hand lightly as they soared off together. "By the way," she said, giving him a quick kiss and a mischievous grin. "Welcome home." She released his hand and pulled ahead, daring him to chase her.

Home… he thought, watching her glide thought the evening clouds. I guess this really is home. As long as she's with me…