Marron's heart seemed to be competing in a marathon, only it wasn't going anywhere, it was only beating wildly, making the maiden's blood pulse in her ears as she breathed heavily, her widened eyes fixed on the intruder. She had sat down on the bed when Oob had left her and the blanket, previously wrapped around her, had fallen down to her waist, revealing the tender flesh.
The man now stood in the door frame, apparently as shocked as she was herself, but surely not for the same reasons. He had long, straight black hair that framed his young face, blue eyes that were somehow familiar - but there was something about him that she knew... - and that stared at her, less widened than hers but still bigger than they usually were... He stood there, his race interrupted so brusquely that he was trying to catch up with his breath, but Marron saw he wasn't tired at all. It was something else...
They didn't move for an endless moment, tension rising up quickly, Marron's heart unable to slow down, C-17 unable to move. The storm went on with its choir with even more aggressivity, as if upset by the sudden lack of effect on the humans.
That moment seemed to have no end...
Until C-17 finally dropped his arms each side of his body, sighing.
- Marron, he said softly.
The young woman shivered violently. How did he know her name? What...
- You changed.
His voice was barely audible, but the sadness - deception? - it contained hit Marron like a slap. So he knew her... But she couldn't remember ever seeing him.
Then she noticed the halo. Being the daughter of her parents, she knew there were chances it was real and she knew what it meant. That man was paying her a visit from the After World. She felt another scream growing in her throat, but terror didn't allow her jaws to move she could yell.
Krilin brushed his wife's cheek with the back of his hand, tenderly, admiring her beautiful features as she was peacefully sleeping against him. They had taken a room in a small but nice hotel of the coast for the night, since the weather wasn't allowing them a safe return at home. Under 'normal' circumstances, they would simply had flown very quickly and be safe in Kame House after a flight of five minutes maximum, but that evening had been so romantic and they couldn't break its magic by a frantic flight under cold and hard rain with high risks of being hit by a lightning. So they went to this little place and C-18 had been asleep for only a few minutes when Krilin had a presentiment.
It struck him with no warning, something twisting that grew inside and made him feel as if he was about to fall into an endless abyss of cold. He rose from the bed and if someone had opened the door at that moment, the whole of the little man's virility would have been seen as well. But the door was locked and he couldn't have cared less. He felt his friends' kis, tried to sense the presence of an evil one, but everything seemed fine. Slowly, he sat down beside his sleepy wife, wondering what had that been. Already the tiny inner whirlwind was withdrawing, leaving a strange feeling of danger in the man's heart.
He returned under the sheets with slow movements, as if expecting the weird impression to come back. It didn't and he decided to forget about it - at least for the moment -. Passing his arm around C-18's waist, he snuggled up to her until he considered being comfortable enough, then closed his eyes and dozed off.
- Damn that guy!
Bulma violently hung up, angry at the phone that was never answered when it had to be. She ran her fingers through newly cut hair, cursing both Goku and Gohan for taking their respective halves out that night.
- We told them to be ready for battle and they go out! Morons...
- Battle?
She startled before setting her eyes on Vegeta, who stood in the door way with his usual frown and his arms crossed. A smirk on the lips.
- Maybe, she said. The woman with C-17 is Lunch, a friend of... Of before you came on Earth. I hadn't heard of her since then...
- It doesn't matter. If there's a battle I'm in.
- You can't fight a woman! And she's not...
- MOM!!!
- BULMA!!!
Even the Saiyan prince widened his eyes at those shouts and he stepped away from the door - closer of Bulma - to let Goten and Trunks come in. The two friends tried to talk at the same time and the latter's mother felt like taking out her frying pan.
- Calm down, for Kami's sake! What is it now?!
- They... The... It's... stuttered Goten, before receiving yet another slap across the head from Trunks.
- They had halos, said the purple haired man, suddenly looking like a twenty-three year old.
Vegeta uncrossed his arms.
- Both of them? asked Bulma, her voice somehow weaker than usual.
Her son nodded solemnly, imitated by his friend, who was still rubbing his sore head with a childish pout.
- It's clear, they want the Dragon Balls to come back to life, stated Vegeta.
- We gotta stop them! declared Goten, shaking his fist before him.
Bulma shook her head slowly.
- I don't think it's so bad. Lunch was never really a danger... In fact she's a great person... And C-17 had caused no trouble after the Cell Game, no?
- They broke my window, mom! protested Trunks.
This time, Goten hit him with delight.
- I say we just wait and see.
- Are you sure it's a good idea? asked Vegeta, with that so serious tone that made her shiver.
- We can't find them anyway.
After a few seconds of reflection, the Saiyan agreed. With no further word, he left the room. Goten and Trunks were already gone, probably to fight over the question of 'slaps behind the head' one more time. Bulma sighed.
One day, she would gather the Dragon Balls, summon Shenron and wish for a peaceful and quiet life.
C-17 couldn't believe his eyes. She had reacted to the name he had pronounced, it was her... It was obvious: those eyes, that hair... She had grown a nose but it didn't change her all that much. She only resembled her mother even more...
Especially that she had grown up, she had... Become a woman.
Slowly, his neck bent and his forehead fell forward. His black hair, soft like a raven's wing, brushed his cheeks as following the movement.
He sighed. It was a soft, tired sigh. A sad sigh. What had he imagined?
Marron breathed more easily when the stranger turned his face to the floor. His look had deeply terrified her and she was glad it was now off of her. With difficult, mechanical gests, she pulled the blanket over her bosom. When he lowered his forehead, she couldn't help but noticed how the halo followed the movement with an unreal grace.
Far away, the thunder rolled and she shivered along. It seemed that her body was painfully numb and that shiver was odd. Her mind, feverish, was filled with numerous thoughts racing to the first position, mixed in a chaotic and panicked scuffle. What does he want who is he how can he know me? Why is he so familiar?!
Slowly, he looked up at her. His head itself didn't move, but the blue iris rose from the floor to meet her look. It paralysed her heart. She couldn't remember ever having felt such terror.
They both stayed still for a long moment, lost in each other's eyes. Then a lightning stroke near the house, Marron screamed and the man sprung at her, with the speed of a leopard.
