Ancestors

By EEQ

Chapter 2

"So, you're telling me that one of my ancestors was a proud prince named Vegeta, and the rival of your ancestor Goku? And they all fought to save the world from various bad guys, died a few times, came back, won, learned how to become Super Saiya-Jin...They knew how to fly and could shoot beams of light out of their hands?"

"Yes."

Pyralis began to laugh. She found she could not stop. "You guys...are really too much..." She could barely breathe from laughing so hard.

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth," Zarek said quietly.

She took a deep breath and sighed. "You're being serious. I'm sorry. Why does all of this matter anyway? I've never been particularly interested in family history."

"Zarek is trying to gather all of the Z fighters' descendants that he can, in hopes that they have at least some of the strength that the originals possessed," Makoto said. "The descendants of Goku, such as Zarek and Hoshiko, will be the strongest; descendants of Vegeta, as you are, would be next. I am descended from Krillan, and Raidon from Yamcha; we are not even close to that strength."

"I was always told the stories of ancestor Goku," Zarek said. "I never thought that the power her had would be passed down through so many centuries...Until Hye. I knew Hye for a long time, and she was always...selfish. She trained as I did for martial arts, and I could see that she came very close to that power...As did I, a few times. She wants more. She has been gathering forces; strong people to aid her, in some plans that I do not know. I am going to stop her."

"She is related to me, right?"

"Yes. So you may want to join her, instead of us."

"I don't know that I want to join anyone," Pyralis said. "This is all far too strange for me to believe." She stood. "I can see that you're all being very serious. Either this is a really bad prank you're playing on me, or there is really something going on. If it is true, I doubt I will be of much help, considering I have never fought before in my life."

Not true. You and that girl, when you were five...That fifteen year old...You hurt her but no one believed it was you...

That was luck, nothing else. Some freak mistake.

"It's your choice," Zarek said, "But please don't tell anyone about this."

"They wouldn't believe me anyway." The only reason Zarek had wanted to talk to her was that he thought she might have this power. Why didn't anyone just want to talk to her?

I'm sure I am an interesting person...

There was that pride again. It would make sense for me to be related to Vegeta. Sounds like he wasn't too short on pride himself.

This Hye...I would never work for someone who only wanted for herself. I may not enjoy being around people, but I know that everyone has a right to certain things...

I would be of no help to Zarek. I should just keep out of his way.

"If you ever want to join us, you are welcome to," Zarek said. "We can always use help."

"Thank you."

"And if you ever need a date, don't hesitate to give me a call!" Raidon said. He pulled out a card and gave it to her. It was his phone number.

Pyralis laughed. "I'll hold you to that, Raidon."

She walked away. She couldn't help but feel that somehow she had made the wrong decision.

*****

"You're just going to let her walk away?" Hoshiko demanded. "She might try to find Hye now!"

"She does not seem Hye's type," Makoto said.

"Pyralis is all right," Raidon said.

"It's her choice."

"Zarek...You fool." Hoshiko got up and stalked away.

"Do you ever wonder if she might be working for Hye?" Raidon asked.

"No. She's just high strung," Zarek said. He also thought that jealousy played a role in her actions, but he said nothing about that fact.

"I've a feeling that Hye won't be waiting in the shadows for much longer," Zarek said. "I know her, she hates waiting."

*****

Pyralis walked along the deserted street on her way home. She usually spent her afternoons in the library reading, and would go home when she knew her parents were already asleep. That way, the arguing wouldn't start.

Walking in the dark did not bother her in the slightest. She had been doing it for so many years that it seemed like second nature.

Before she knew what was happening, she was pinned to the ground and could not move.

"I saw you with Zarek today," the voice hissed. Pyralis did not recognize it.

"So you're a descendant too, are you? How unfortunate for you," the voice said. "I will have to destroy you...I don't want them to have too many on their side, and since you were dumb enough to come out alone..."

"Are you...Hye?" Pyralis asked.

"Yes, I am. The last person you are ever going to see! Now, before I kill you, tell me which one was your ancestor?"

"Vegeta," Pyralis answered. She could not breathe properly because Hye was sitting on her.

"Vegeta! You are so weak, I never would have guessed!" Hye laughed. "None of his should associate with...Goku's." She said the name as though it tasted bad. "It's not right. I want to have my due, so I will take it. If you are truly descended of Vegeta, then join me!"

"No," Pyralis wheezed. There was no way she would ever join this woman!

"Fine. Then you will die."

That voice, the one Pyralis usually tried to keep quiet, surfaced. It filled her, and she used it.

"Off!" She screamed. She kicked up, and Hye fell. Pyralis rammed her bag full of books and binders into Hye's face, and she fell to the ground unconscious.

Pyralis ran as fast as she could, and found a pay phone. She desperately hoped that the phone number Raidon had handed her was real, and not a joke.

She dialed.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Raidon? I need help...Hye just tried to kill me."

"Tell me where you are, and we will be there."

They must all live together for safety...I'm glad.

Pyralis told him the name of the street she was on. "Please hurry...Thank you."

"No problem, hot stuff."

Raidon hung up, and Pyralis stood there unmoving, listening to the dial tone.

*****

*****