Aymei turned from the cooker feeling two paws settle on her thigh. She placed the spoon on the table and bent to hug Jasper tightly the brightest smile illuminating her face as she buried it in a bed of black and white fur. "Hi Jasper." She murmured her laughter filling the kitchen as her ear got promptly bathed.
"You do know he is only after the chicken." Lexi pointed out from her sudden position in the kitchen doorway making Aymei look up her first words being "bleugh! no he's not just because he loves me." but on second glance sure enough the dog was eyeing up the pieces of chicken sitting on the table. "Well, even if he is at least he's making a good job of seeming like he's pleased—" Jasper moved out of the hug clearing up any doubts as to what he wanted and why he was here in the first place as he stretched up to the table looking back at Aymei with obvious questioning. Aymei sighed as she rose, arms akimbo glaring at Lexi before she good feed the 'I told you' line that was obviously coming "I'll rephrase that shall I?…he was making a good job of seeming like he was pleased to be with me...Fickle dog."
Disclaimers; In this chapter you will still find me 'DragonballZ-less'
Must
says:: HI! everyone...*covers face* don't say it, Aymei has been the
worst person ever! *draws absent diagrams on the ground with her toe shyly*
I'm really sorry for not updating in all the times I said I would. I hate
myself. *glances up surreptitiously* sorry (:D). *becomes more animated*
Hmm, Tenchi, no I haven't finished...did I give that impression? (sorry)
and Chris (you said I should bring em back and they are here again...*curtseys*
thank you *holds up hand made card with flowers stuck all over it* made
just for you ^__^ cause you say the nicest things...always very understanding
and encouraging. I would that I could bottle you up and keep you...oh
and...*walks over to wall and begins banging head against it all over again*
still trying to come up with an idea for you. *winces* Will keep at it
till I do) I'll let you all get to the story and be done right...most of
you want to clear out already. Okay...shutting up now.
Interludes;
lost, found, introductions?
Diary Entry.
He's gone…I was actually in charge of the whole operation. It may still be a butt end job but I think I'm getting somewhere though. Funny thing though was that he didn't seem to recognize me or was it more that he couldn't see me properly in the dim light?… or maybe it was because he didn't seem to care. He did know what was going on, he did know he was being sent off with the bunch of others and he knew he might well never be coming back. It was easy to tell, he kept looking back. I knew why.
I
think I expected him to say something. Resist even. That was common practice.
It felt strange…him not saying a word…but...I was glad he was going,
really, truly and selfishly.I realised
she would miss him but I didn't care about that, not then. He was competition
that's what he was, what he could be, if she didn't realise it yet I certainly
could. I suppose I'm jealous which is stupid. I suppose I'm not totally
irredeemable, I did feel bad, but only afterwards…and not as much as I
felt I should be…
--------------------------
In
this thing called love
When you want it the most…
--------------------------
"Oswald"
Oswald turned but it wasn't just in response to his name. It was more due to the fact that he recognised the voice and it caused mild surprise. If anyone would be calling his name he would have expected anyone else to but not the person to whom the voice belonged to. The same person that filled his vision.
"Juuhachi?" he said questioningly unable to keep the surprise from revealing itself in his voice as he took in the girl in front of him. His questioning was more a result of the tiny fact that she rarely spoke to him much less approach him.
Fingers rose to brush back wayward strands that rose in the slight breeze that rushed past as he rose fully speaking with a hesitant glance round "I can't stop now" he said easily explaining why he returned to his work. She gave a curt but almost indistinguishable nod knowing very well that he couldn't. It meant asking for trouble.
"Where's the short guy?" she asked her tone indicating she just wanted an answer to that one thing alone and she would leave him.
"You mean Krillin." He said hiding a smile at the slight shrug that would have said 'whatever' if words had been used instead, the effect being ruined by the underlying look on her face that said she was more interested than the non committal shrug would have him think..
"He's gone…about three days ago." Oswald finished. He suddenly looked surprised, something suddenly dawning. He'd felt she would've known by now yet he wasn't sure what to make of the fleeting look that would have just about skipped his notice if he hadn't been looking at her in that moment thinking of what he said next.
"…I thought you would have known by now."
He wasn't sure whether the look had been born of having suspicions confirmed or just surprise, he couldn't quite tell. He saw the slight frown that crept over her face and knew it was more than probably a result of the way his tone had softened and he reassumed a normal intonation again "He got sold off."
"Oh" she said almost causally as if nothing untoward had happened and it sounded painfully like an 'awkward silence filler'. She turned to leave with a mumbled good bye that he more than suspected was given without much thought. She already seemed to be thinking about other things and he felt he knew what since he'd wondered about the very same thing having watched many people he knew leave.
"He'll be fine you know," he said reassuringly hoping for the world that his beliefs thus far were well founded...it was better than the alternative...the alternatives didn't bear being thought about because it was easier even if the phrase 'easier for who?' virtually begged to be voiced.
She fixed him with a frown. "Did I say he wouldn't?" she asked almost waspishly.
Bisman, having spotted them, had come hurrying over and unable to resist a chance at a jibe he interrupted before Oswald could form a reply. "What you doing here?" he leered as she took him in a look of slight annoyance touching her features at his interruption but she didn't spend much time on him as she looked away like she'd spotted something of minute importance and it seemed to touch a nerve.
"Not a place for a girl this, no" he said almost bitingly as he managed to fit in a satisfyingly goading laugh. What he wasn't expecting was for the wrong person to speak up at this. He'd been expecting blue eyed anger and not friendship's cold annoyance.
"Bisman for once in you life just shut up!" Oswald said sharply almost in the same time space that Juuhachi gave a 'what just spoke' look that just skimmed the top of his head and left. He turned his annoyed gaze on Oswald silently blaming him for his dissatisfaction.
"You just couldn't resist could you." Oswald spat as he laid into Bisman fully his words punctured every now and then by the sound of his digging "You could try to think once in a while and not say the first thing that comes into your head. How is that a hard thing to do!? If you hadn't realised the 'you're a girl' thing wore of a long time ago and in bringing it up you're just making an ignorant ass of yourself."
"She's stupid" Bisman huffed at him as if that was his excuse and his justification, a wounded tone to his voice and just one of the many other intermingled undertones that included a dented pride.
"Funny, I could say the same about someone I know..."
"Who?"
Bisman asked genuinely
intrigued.
******************************
The light glinted off the knife she held as she returned it to its place amongst the others finding the display almost mesmerizing as she picked up another and placed it alongside the other her gaze suddenly going to the window for a moment before her gaze came to rest on the fingers closed round the sink before realising she was drifting again.
She supposed things had gotten a bit better. She'd rather not lie in those cramped cells if it wasn't necessary to but she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about having to rely on 'the enemy'. She had to admit though, even if grudgingly so, that it was an improvement. For a start there were less restrictions on her movement so she could do a lot more of the things she wanted to without a guard or two breathing down her neck deeming it their right to know every thing she did or didn't do in most cases.
She more than suspected she was being treated much better than she would normally be and also given a lot more time on her hands than she was supposed to be having. It was obvious the man had no need for her and so she was still trying to figure out what his hidden agenda was. She couldn't very well say he was being 'kind' to her or treating her like some sort of lost puppy he'd found and given a home to and expected her to be grateful for it because he did it in ways that were hard to pinpoint. He seemingly had a reason for everything so even if she knew it and was sure of it she couldn't prove it.
It was having so much time on her hands that was no doubt the reason for her spending more than every bit of it worrying about a certain dark haired midget. That had to be the only explanation, all in all the fact that she was concerned about someone other than herself and her brother, someone who till he'd gone hadn't seemed all that important, was strange to say the least. Sure she'd known he wasn't around any more, she'd felt that even before she'd gone and asked all of four days ago. Somehow she'd wanted...strangely enough...to be proved wrong.
Then again, a simpler explanation could simply go; she'd become too used to having him around. It would simply be a matter of growing out of the habit and hopefully a few more days would be all it would...should take. There were more immediate things she should devote her time to thinking about. Like finding her brother...like getting of this wretched planet...those were all worth while things to 'worry' about instead and yet they were somehow paling in comparison. She really needed to get her prorities straight for somewhere along the line they'd got themselves muddled up.
Blonde brows came together suddenly as she looked up her head tilting incalculably in a questioning action. She rose, only then realsising she had sat, as she discarded the cloth she'd been fiddling with and had no doubt made its way an inumerable amount of times through fidgiting fingers. She was outside before the realisation hit; it had been accomplished in double quick time. She ran a quick hand over her hair as inconspicously as possible satisfying herself that every strand was in it's rightful place.
It wasn't...was it?
She was sure though that it was.
Sure enough it was. She spotted him almost instantly as if in someway to prove her right. Their eyes met silently, and he hesitated a step, no doubt from the blank seemingly impassive expression on her face. His dark searching gaze became a brief slide of emotion from surprise and faint victory to a hesitantly unsure one as he took her in as unobtrusively as possible without actually staring.
"Hi," Krillin finally got out, dark eyes moving away from her face to absently take in nothing in particular from the environment round them before returning to her again almost hoping he might catch just that tiny change in that expression, something that would somehow tell him she'd possibly missed him just half as much as he had her. Her expression hadn't changed in the slightest.
"I thought you were gone." She pointed out as she moved a little this time having successfully quelled the eagerness she'd unwittingly given into a few seconds ago. "Why did you return?"
"I was—erm" He gave a nervous laugh almost mumbling together his next words. "I just came…to see if you were okay."
"Why?" she questioned genuinely intrigued.
"Hey…" he began feigning light heartedness wishing for the world that her questions weren't so bluntly 'direct', "I was worried. You tend to get yourself into trouble." Then deciding that didn't come out right he decided to fix it…quickly. "I mean…well,'situations', you know…that is what I mean is—because what I don't mean is that you're…" he trailed of into uncomfortable silence having given up deciding that no matter which way he tried to say it it wouldn't come out quite like he would mean it to.
She continued to watch him almost disconcertingly but when it seemed he wasn't going to continue she put him out of his misery and changing the subject. "So what happened with you?" she asked knowing what had undoubtedly happened but it was as good a change of subject as any other and the look of relief was evident as he grabbed hold of it easily.
"I got sold off, I'm surprised anyone wanted to buy me at all.." He joked...no points for why the word 'lame' kept repeating itself in his mind. He gave a nervous laugh. "It was strange...but not as bad as I'd thought it would be." he added almost thoughtfully more to cover up his embarisment even as he remembered how starkly different it had been. Not any less degrading though he'd felt but still not as bad as his over active imagination had led him to imagine. He didn't add that he'd for a moment thought she'd been sold off too when he hadn't been able to find her, till he'd seen Bulma and she'd told him where he might find her.
"I take it you're…" She searched for a word to describe an 'it'll do' kind of life "...'satisfied'"
"Yeah..." he said thoughtful for awhile before adding "kinda...I guess" in a tone that suggested adequacy of a kind.
"...and you won't be coming back." She said.
There was something. He looked up at her wondering what she meant. He wondered if it was a statement or a question. If it was a question did that mean she did miss him...somewhat? "Yeah." he said deciding it was a question but it's meaning he still wasn't sure of. "I guess." he added his voice holding a twinge of dejection and it dropped to the barest of whispers and he didn't quite accomplish the proposed 'off hand' manner he'd intended "I could try...and drop by you know…every now and then.. that is…if you want me to."
She suddenly saw the dark haired man walking up and it was clear he was coming towards them her expression immediately took on deep seated unfriendliness and she practically glared fire laced, death promising daggers at the man but he was either oblivious or didn't care because he kept coming a smile alighting his features in the face of a look that would have withered the best of men.
"Do what you want."
Krillin looked up at her, at first wondering at the harsh emotionless and dismissive quality of her statement only to see her glaring over him and following her gaze explained why. Recognition was swift even as the man reached them.
"Oh hey, this is Goku." When she didn't show any inclination towards changing her feelings for the new visitor he proceeded to clarify "He's a friend."
That drew a change, only not the one he'd intended. Once he said the word 'friend' she fixed him with a look that stated louder than words ever could that he had just gone certifiably mad. Obviously she figured he'd gone mad in the space of a few seconds having used the word 'friend' in relation to a race that had won themselves much favours.
"Hey," Goku said and then after just a moment of taking in that unfriendly expression his smile became wider as he glanced at Krillin and blurted, "You were right Krillin. She is beautiful."
The sound of mortification came from a Krillin that was suddenly bright enough to cook on. Her brow rose. To say she was surprised was an understatement. She was rendered speechless for the first time in as far as she could remember. in questioning surprise totally floored. She was unable to quite make head or tail of what had just been said and she didn't know who and what surprised her more. She took in first Krillin who looked like he wished the earth would open up and swallow him and then the smiling taller 'Goku' character feeling just that little bit lost for words.
"Its
really nice to finally meet you…thanks to Krillin I feel like I already
know you..." Goku continued finding he'd some how gained rapt attention.
******************
Krillin stopped awhile looking up at Goku as they walked back, the palace grounds diminishing behind them but somehow not leaving his own thoughts. He still felt that side of embarised and he felt he wouldn't ever be able to look at her again!
"Why did you have to say it." he asked somewhat sullenly.
Well,
it it wasn't obvious beofre it was now, she must know now that he
had formed the biggest and fastest crush this side of the planets and what
made it even more laughable was that she had to be the furthest person
out of his reach. He gave an audible groan. He really wished he'd seen
it coming it would have proberbly saved him a red face and her something
to laugh over. Thankfully enough he'd been able to cut the conversation
short before he'd been dropped into it even further but it had been done
with the lamest excuse possible and it had proberly had more holes than
swiss cheese but what else was he supposed to have done. It had served
its purpose at the time spending time to think of the perfect excuse would
have taken too long.
"Say what?" Goku asked puzzled, then as if lighting a match he realised what it was Krillin was on about "You mean Juuhachi right?"
"Yes."
"What shouldn't I have said?" he asked honestly enough visibly going back over the conversation mentally. He made a sudden observation with a curious lilt to his tone. "She doesn't speak much does she."
Now there was a surprise that wasn't a surprise. He thought to himself. He'd been too busy wishing for the earth to swallow him whole. What had been going on in her head was another thing entirely.
After finding himself on the road to 'god knows where' at the time he certainly hadn't thought he would find himself where he did. He hadn't really cared at that point in time because it hadn't really mattered. It may as well have been the devil himself buying him and it wouldn't have made much difference. The one thing that had filled his thoughts had been the fact that he hadn't wanted to leave in the first place and it wasn't just because he'd become used to it there either. He'd been more than surprised to encounter someone like the man walking next to him as if nothing was wrong with the world. He supposed after being round the man for a week already he should have known he might do something like that. It was him in a nutshell. Honest and straightforwardly blunt. Take him nowhere...to be on the safe side even if he really didn't mean anything by it.
At first he'd thought there was some kind of agenda to his behaviour and he'd been determined not to trust him as far as he could throw him...which wouldn't have been very far. It was a strange thing to find a Saiyan being nice, they were either up to something horrible or had something else devious cooking. Yet he'd come to realise later that that was just how Goku was and he didn't have some dark secret plan tucked up his sleeves and becoming friends hadn't been very hard. He supposed it would be strange, he thought remembering the look she'd fixed him with when he'd reffered to Goku as his friend. He'd never actually said it out loud before and it had come with surprising ease too.
It had been Goku who'd suggested Krillin come along with him he hadn't been able to make it as 'off hand' as he'd no doubt intended it to be but it hadn't meant he was going to refuse, he'd been miserable enough and that's what Goku must have spotted to have suggested it in the first place...oh no, the thought of seeing her was encouragement enough…the thought of being able to let her know he hadn't just left or dissappeared into thin air. In fact he'd had everything he was going to say planned out in his mind and then it had all flown out the window once he'd seen her leaving him woefully lost without a thing to say that didn't end up in him saying all the wrong things. So much for the eloquent conversation he'd envisioned.
"Everything...Especially the begining."
"Oh you mea-"
"Yes." He said quickly managing this time to quell the colour that threatened to coat his cheeks again.
"You said it yourself..."
"I know I did. I just didn't expect her to know I said it." he said twiddling his fingers.
Goku seemed puzzled "Why not? you meant it didn't you"
Krillin almost sighed out loud "Yeah but--"
"Well there you go then." he said triumphantly as if he'd just solved every problem under the sun.
But that's beside the point...He felt he should protest as much but he figured it wouldn't accomplish anything and besides, he felt he'd come up with the perfect comparison instead "How would you feel if I went up to Chi Chi and said something like that. Wouldn't you feel the slightest bit 'embarised' ?"
Maybe emabarised was too light a word in relation to what he'd felt. He'd been so shamed it was unbelievable. She was fast becoming someone he couldn't figure out what he felt for anymore and knowing barely anything about her didn't help matters either. The little things he did know where more based on suspision than actual proof. Like the time he felt he'd known what would have happened next in the fight that seemed so long ago now. Now he was sure he would barely be able to look at her with out going right past the other penultimate shades to the ultimate shade of heated red.
Goku looked thoughtful awhile before speaking and when he did speak it was drawled out in a kind of questioningly sure tone. As if he was sure of the answer in one breath but expecting the words 'wrong answer' to ring out from somewhere at any moment.
"No?" Krillin repeated in surprise. How could the alutration fail? If there was anything that would have been the perfect example it was Chi-Chi. It was so obvious she liked him and he knew it wasn't growing solo either. "Why not?" he asked needing an answer all of a sudden to explain why on earth he'd come up with such a different outcome.
"Because
I would agree...she is beautiful" he said patiently, as if somehow
it was Krillin who didn't understand the sittuation. "...just like her
cooking...hmm" his added gaze suddenly brightening perceptably "speaking
of which...I'm hungry." and as if in answer to this his stomach rumbled
as if to prove its owner wasn't lying. "Yup, definately." he affirmed
sheepishly.
"Oh
I just give up." Krillin finally stated defeated.
*********************
She looked shyly at him stealing surreptitious glances at the man lounging next to her watching her every move and frankly making her feel more than a little self conscious.
'Call me Goku.' He'd once said while she'd clutched onto the only weapon she could find which had just happened to be a pan. She hadn't wanted to be anywhere near any of them unarmed but he was the kind of person that would win you over before you knew it. When she'd got that bit used to him, enough to ask anyway, she'd found he preferred that name because a 'very good friend' had given it to him as he put it and he'd been human too which had been surprising to say the least. Then he'd died. Sure he'd been somewhat old but Goku insisted, more than convinced he'd died because he'd given up.
"You don't have to do this you know." Chi-chi said nervously as he handed her another dish. "It's my job…I can do it."
"I know Chi-Chi." He said laughing a little. The sound of her name on his lips practically skipped across her eardrums.
"I guess I just want to help…" He smiled. She gave an answering grin, cheeks reddening as she tried to hide her face as unobtrusively as possible.
"You know, you're …different." She said feeling a tingle as their hands brushed slightly as he handed her another dish which she almost dropped but he caught it with a smile, that beautiful innocent beam of his, handing it back to her though this time she made sure their fingers didn't brush again or there would have gone the plate again.
"I mean your brother…he's…" she stopped wondering briefly if saying what she really thought about his brother was a wise thing to do.
"Erm…excuse me..." she apologised before hand as she stretched across him to reach for another dish which he'd been too busy watching her, a faint questioning in his gaze to remember to hand to her. Yet it worked in her favour with the deliberately caused closeness that existed then though the assault it caused on her senses was more than she'd expected. Dark eyes held hers and for a breathless moment they just stared at each other. She was the first to look away drowning the dish she'd reached for into the water.
"Chi-Chi." He said suddenly making her freeze. It took a while but she summoned enough control to be able to look at him without blushing "Yes." She asked her voice soft and just barely above a whisper.
"I—I was wondering—"
"Yes?" she prompted encouragingly pushing tendrils of her hair from her rapidly colouring face.
"Would you—" he looked a little embarrassed and uncomfortable and his imperceptible shrug was one of such. His hand went to his head. Sometimes she could almost easily forget he belonged to the race of people that had taken her from her home, that she professed an anger at his kind...because, amazingly, he was nothing like any of them.... "Would I what?" she questioned voice almost not working at all.
"I was wondering…" he began again "do you think you could make those 'cookie' things again? I've really come to like them."
She was both surprised and befuddled, it took a few minutes to comprehend and register since it was something so starkly different from what she'd been expecting to hear. "Cookies?" she repeated at a loss.
He nodded eagerly. "Oh yes." He affirmed.
He was talking about cookies, she thought feeling suddenly deprived. After that feeling…that almost electrical surge. What did he need to actually register something else besides food? A cosmic storm? He'd just eaten all of a few minutes ago.
She sighed "Sure." She said trying hard not to let the disappointed anger she felt show in her voice but failing miserably. "Why not…I can make cookies." She bit off as she returned to washing the plates probably washing with a bit too much force.
"Great." He said beaming happily oblivious "I didn't know how to ask, I thought you would say no."
"Why
would I? I'm your slave remember." She pointed out sourly wondering if
she would have to wear a burger suit to actually catch and keep
his attention..
*******************************
Zahi couldn't help grinning as another expletive made its way to his hearing. It was almost a common occurrence and it usually followed a failed attempt at something that she felt should be easy enough which explained her frustration at not being able to do it. From previous experiences he'd realised offering her any help was not a good idea and he'd learnt, quickly too, that with everything he said or offered he was to be very, very careful. In providing anything...help or otherwise he'd had to be subtle.
When she'd arrived the first time she'd just stood off from him arms folded effectively putting the distance of a huge chasm between them and her glare hadn't budged from him in the slightest always watching his every move with almost hawk like vigil. She still did but it had been the most unnerving thing he'd ever come across then, he was used to it now, almost.
He hadn't been able to say a thing right by her either…he'd suggested he show her to the room...okay maybe it could have been taken in another way entirely if he thought about it but at the time he'd just been trying to do something right. She'd instantly misconstrued it and practically jumped down his throat with a whole lot of accusations that he supposed he shouldn't really blame her for having especially after the encounter with Phebes, he would have to be blind to not know what he was like, but it had stung just the same.
She was determined not to trust him and her gaze had continued to follow him everywhere and lord if looks could kill. He'd hadn't had much of an easy success in finding her something to wear either since 'clothes for slaves' weren't top of the list except where the harem were concerned and you knew those didn't cover much and weren't designed to so he couldn't have given her any of those. He'd no doubt be truly dead now if he had. Besides he would much rather say the change of clothes, which he'd finally managed to acquire, was more for his sanity and safety because the dress she'd been put in was way too short and if he wanted to keep his eyes safe as opposed to having them ripped out for being caught staring, then it would have to go.
She was the most un-homely person he'd come across obviously graceful...sure strong, why sometimes he couldn't still believe it was the same person, granted but 'homely' no. Since she'd come he'd had to scrape things off the ceiling, repair two doors (how she'd managed to destroy those just boggled the mind, according to her she'd just 'pushed' them because they'd been stuck.) and top up a number of things that had some how met an unfortunate end, a few clothes that'd found themselves another colour, a couple of dishes, a pair of boots, a bed sheet and when it had come to cooking…he'd truly thought he would be without a home if he didn't intervene.
Not that his efforts had been appreciated, his very suggestion that he show her how to overcome her obvious predicaments most especially obvious in food preparation had only brought forth a snappishly given 'why would I need your help?! you have done more than enough!' and it had been painfully obvious that she hadn't been talking about the 'help' he'd been offering either not unless it involved ravishing her planet. 'Well I need my help' had been his reply as he'd taken over and had been somewhat surprised that she didn't leave. Rather she'd just stood of to one side watching him in that unnerving way again. So much so he'd found his mind hit blanks many a time just due to that intense gaze that somehow managed to also look like she couldn't care less what he was doing.
However he wouldn't change a thing. It was almost invisible but there was an ease to her that hadn't been obvious before. So he supposed he'd done something right. Who knew maybe she would soon realise that he didn't mean her any harm. He looked up as she walked past looking unphased as usual which still never failed to surprise. One minute she could be angry and the next she would look like she'd never been angry at all. Catching his gaze she glared at him almost challengingly till she disappeared from his view.
She was the most stubbornly unreasonable person he'd ever meet.
He
found himself smiling.
********************************
Angela looked over the crudely drawn map in front of her a hand going to her chin pensively as she 'hmm' ed lightly. She reached down to lift it up at the side so she could compare it with the other one beneath it as she made the same thoughtful sound again only this time tiny white teeth claimed part of her lip as its own her hand going to her hair to bat impatiently at the waywardly dangling curl. It somehow always seemed to find its own way which was always in a direction opposite to the rest of her hastily braided pigtails its loosened ends a mass of strawberry red curls just laying against her shoulders. Her progress wasn't helped either by the hindrance the small blonde haired child sitting on the table as she looked over some of the other wayward papers imitating her every thoughtfully unconscious movements.
"Still having problems Angel?" a new voice asked making her look up the goggles seated on her head flashing in the lighting of the room as she did. A smile lit her face as she easily recognized it's owner and practically beamed at him eyes sparkling.
"Oh no, no, no...it's nothing...I can figure this out..." she said managing to keep her smile genuine even if her attempt at lying was falling somewhat flat.
He fixed her with an understanding look "Not coming along quite like you'd hoped hmm...?" She sighed suddenly, shoulders sagging slightly as she nodded and gave a brief gesture of frustration "...It's near nigh impossible! there's no way we can do it, not in the time we have, it will take ages. We might as well give up now." she said.
He laughed softly as he took in the miniature proffered hand that was suddenly sent his way for an impromptu hand shake the girl grinning widely. He wiggled his moustache playfully an act which in turn seemed to make his glasses dance slightly too and also left the child in giggles before she climbed down from the table.
He looked up at Angela "Angel, If anyone can do it then it's you..." he said as he moved over another table and placed the bits and pieces he'd been carrying.
"You really think so?" she gushed almost going as far as clasping her hands together but realising quickly enough to stop it. He smiled at her as he nodded his gaze returning to the items on the table as she colored brightly. He looked over at the other occupier of the room who'd remained silent the whole time looking off into space and still remained so even when the child moved over to him ringlets dancing round a soft face as she dumped the stuffed toy she'd been holding into his lap almost confused when he didn't gush over the tattered thing that had seen so many better days but to her was still the most magnificent and treasured thing in her whole world, like most of the adults had.
Her teddy was a big hit with them with everyone eager to introduce themselves and yet it wasn't with this one. He practically ignored her but when she became insistent waving it in front of his face asking sweetly if he would like to say hello to her 'teddikins' he'd looked at her...just once...but she wished he hadn't. "When's the brat going to leave...she's an annoying little pest." was all he said looking over at the man in glasses as if somehow it was all his fault. A trembling hand bravely reached out to snatch her toy back into the safety of her arms before she scurried to the safety Angela provided. She was scooped up and given a seating position against Angela's waist as the red head virtually glared at the dark haired man "she's a little child...meany."
"oh...by the way...I completely forgot..."
Angel looked up "yes?"
"there's another group...tonight. Three." he said adjusting his glasses as he studied the metallic band like instrument. "Hmm...now finding a way to disable this can't be that hard." he said thinking out loud having digressed with ease as he studied it. Angela glanced at it slightly registering it as one of those things that fit around the angle or wrist and seemingly drained you of all your energy at once. The strange think was that it looked so inconspicuous and she'd put it on once thinking it a bracelet and had somehow activated it. The feeling hadn't been nice and she hadn't been able to move her tiny finger let alone anything else.
"the group..." she prompted echoing perfectly the thoughts of the other occupier of the room even if he acted like he couldn't care less.
He looked at her, lost a minute before remembering "oh...yes, it was a last minute thing...it skipped my mind awhile." he smiled guiltily and added "it's just one minor thing...it must be the simplest...but what" he said as the occupants of the room briefly did the switch for him inserting 'bracelet' and then 'back to the subject at hand' when he easily slipped from thinking out loud into his next sentence "besides the call should be coming... any... moment...now."
"I need someone else, there's three on the run." a new voice broke in with an almost excited thrill to it the owner just popping in for a fraction of a second dark hair tumbling round his shoulders before he dashed back out wordlessly indicating time was of the essence. The blue creature just about able to keep up with him.
I
can't do it..." Angela said indicating the papers before her but she needn't
have worried as someone else was keen to volunteer. "Finally, some action."
was all he said a dangerous smile touching his lips as he left.
***************************
Bulma suddenly smiled to herself. She didn't quite know why but she'd awoken with he feeling that she could do anything and being in this place would not, absolutely not be able to get her down. Everything would turn out all right because she believed it would and someone or something would come the rescue and make everything right again.
It
was just a nice thing to believe in and today it didn't seem in the slightest
bit like the fairy tale it could so easily be. She began to hum not even
having to think of what it was she was humming as it came almost naturally
as she stepped back to admire her handwork. Yup, all dazzling white and
fanning slightly in the sunny breeze…If she closed her eyes tightly enough
she could almost imagine she were back home hanging out the washing on
a normal day…where
normal things happened and she was blissfully
oblivious to anything but tinkering round in the lab and the days greatest
challenge would be coming up with one idea or the next and carrying it
out to her satisfaction.
It was a challenge because she was somewhat of a perfectionist where her experiments and inventions where concerned at least. Sometimes she wondered if she missed that even more than anything else. Being useful not menial tasks that you get forced to do anyway...but something challenging…and if not that then something 'fun' instead. Laughing softly at herself as she turned
…And almost right into the figure behind her.
A small sound of fear and surprise escaped her as she jumped thoughtlessly stepping back and almost loosing her balance which she reflexively fought to regain immediately not quite being able to find the time to carry it out with much dignity. The rest of the clean washing she'd been holding promptly hit the ground.
Dark eyes simply regarded her expressionlessly as she quickly picked them with a muttered 'no' that lay somewhere between frantic and agonized, breathing a sigh of relief as she found all except one had escaped being messed up all over again. One won't matter too much but it was besides the point…it was one piece of hard work, which she would have to now do again. She was suddenly angry…prince or no there were tiny things called manners and it still remained that it was rude to sneak up on people like that!
"What did you think you were doing creeping up on me like that!?" she burst out angrily then realising that speaking to the 'prince' of the planet like that could more than likely get her in trouble she fell silent waiting amidst a flutter of fear for what he was going to do next in response to her unrestrained speech.
He merely stood there staring back at the angrily disdainful and yet cautious look in her eyes."It was you." Was the single thing he said moving round her in a slight semi circle with an almost predatory smirk that matched the way he was now taking her in.
"What do you mean?" she questioned her hand pushing strands of cerulean hair from her face wanting nothing to block her vision of him. He set her on edge and made everything within her cry 'danger'. Every single move he made she wanted to see with crystal clarity in time to get her reflexes going.
However, She wasn't prepared when his hand closed round her chin lifting her face for a better study of that stubborn set face. "The floor…" he said simply.
She pulled away quickly absolutely sure it was the intensity of his gaze that had called forth her increased heartbeat and if looks could kill he would be dead by now from the single glare she gave him as if challenging his right to do what he'd just done and she wasn't just referring to the fact that he'd touched her.
Oh she remembered all right. It was pretty hard not to remember the fact that he had stepped on her clean floor and would have walked over her if she hadn't moved for all the attention he'd paid to where he was going. It might have well been a steamroller coming her way. After all when the whole world parted for him why should he bother looking where he going at any one time.
Bulma froze suddenly. When he'd said 'it was you' he wasn't referring to the somewhat colourful language she'd used was he? He hadn't heard her had he? She said nothing. It was obvious that she had been going to say something before but she remained resolutely silent.
He made a small nonchalant sound before asking, "who do you belong to?"
"Nobody." She said indignantly. I don't belong to anyone!
"Good." He said leaving with his smirk only now it was a self satisfied one. She felt confused. What exactly had she missed? Had that been some kind of trick question she hadn't understood…? because she'd expected a different reaction, a much different one. She felt unease creep over her.
Extra note; I promised this about a week ago didn't I? there I was 'oh I've finally got it!' and on with my 'fingers crossed' thing *shrugs* reasons? I'm just a lazy lounger...then again I'm not. It's like they just know I want to just sit and write and so I get lumbered with more work than I can wade through and when I've got through just half of it I'm so tired I fall asleep. It sounds like a lame excuse right? it does to me. You wouldn't believe it until you see it. It's a nightmare. The other day I got a huge wad of papers, something like 265 pages *screams and pulls out strand of dark hair* what do they think I am? I can't possibly get through all that! *sigh* Anyway back to the point,...this was no doubt a highly boring chapter and not worth the wait. ^_^, oh well, not to worry...I'm not totally satisfied either but it is kinda an interlude. Besides, did you guess who any of the people above where (apart from Angel, she's another filler character, hence mine)...the rest of them...oh come on, it isn't that hard...I think I made it way too easy..
On to the next chapter which shouldn't take as long (if they just give me time to myself sheeesh) but I guess that much more happens (I can't tell though) but you've still got the clues for all the help they are. ^__^ ...
*Low
curtsey* See you guys in the next chapter then.
Chapter six;
Hope
is a hard thing sought
Love
isn't always what we feel.
A
price is asked and danger will loom
A
dark trail is taken
and
eyes of blue will save you…
