Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ, don't own FUNi, don't make money.
Meleina fell into a deeply troubled sleep. She was haunted by the memories of her close Namekian friends and the knowledge that they were all dead by now. Made even worse was the fact that she couldn't do anything to save them- or hadn't tried hard enough. She wondered if, deep down, she could have attacked Frieza and stopped him from destroying her new home. It disturbed her that she would never know; that she hadn't even tried to stop him.
She awoke when her ship slammed into a planet. She groaned and stretched her cramped muscles, then opened the hatch and stepped out onto the ugly planet, nearly choking on the air. "Ugh, of all the places to land," she grumbled, looking around. The soil was a deep purple and red, mixed together in an ugly fashion that made Meleina wince. She had been to many different planets in her life, but this was by far the nastiest. The air was heavy and filled with sulfur, and the temperature was far hotter than she was used to. Along the terrain were many black marks that appeared to be the results of battles, though Meleina wasn't entirely certain- they could just be natural landforms on this ugly planet. She shook her head and turned back to her ship. "Well, at least I can program this thing and get away from here fast enough." She punched a few buttons on the computer, but scowled as nothing happened. "Hey, what kind of a sick joke is this?" She brought her fist down on the computer console, and again nothing happened. "Oh, please don't tell me this thing is broken down." She hit the computer once more, then groaned and sat down. "Great, now I'm stuck here. This is just what I need."
She stalked angrily out of the ship and took off in quick flight toward the nearest city. When she arrived, she was even more sickened by the sights she saw. The city was filled with people, but not a single one looked even remotely friendly. And, she saw with dismay, most of them were men. Oh, that's even better. I get stuck in a scum-hole. One man came near her and she flicked her short tail a little bit. Any Saiyan would recognize the warning, but this fool most likely wouldn't. To her surprise, he froze, then backed off a bit. So he knows what a Saiyan is. Good, he'd better warn his friends not to mess with me.
She walked confidently into the nearest bar and gazed around. Several people stared at her in shock, but she strode calmly up to the bartender. "I need a new ship, or at very least a transport." The bartender continued wiping down the counter without even glancing at her. She smiled. "Going to go 'bout this the hard way, are you?" She grabbed his shirt and slammed him into the nearest wall. "Where can I get what I need?"
The bartender brushed himself off. "You really shouldn't have done that." He slammed a clenched fist down on the bar, and several people in bumblebee yellow shirts entered the bar.
"Excuse me, miss, I'm afraid you'll be coming with us," the leader said coolly, then grabbed her arm.
Meleina looked at him. "Let go of me," she said in a dangerously calm tone.
"No, ma'am, I can't do that. Sorry."
"This is your last warning. Let go of me." He turned to drag her out of the bar. She curled her lip and swung her leg to kick him in the side. He went down hard, and his companions took a battle stance. Meleina grinned. "Good, I've been looking for a good fight. However, I don't really have the time, so if any of you wants to give me the info I need, I'd be more than happy to get on my way and leave you happy folks alone."
The yellow shirts glared at her. "I think not, lady. See, ain't nobody beats up one of us and gets away with it."
One of the bar's patrons stood up. "Now, Rok, there's no need for all of this. I'll take care of the lady and get her out of here, no trouble. The Bees needn't worry about her anymore, unless you want to track her down once she's gone and get revenge." The man dug his fingers deep into Meleina's shoulder and pushed her out of the bar. "You're pretty tough, lady. The Bees are the toughest gang 'round here, and you came in and knocked out their leader. That takes guts."
"I got plenty of those to go around. You got the information I need?"
"Depends on what you need."
"A fast, reliable ship, or a transport if you can't scrounge up a ship fast enough."
The man shook his head. "You'll have to talk to Kieran 'bout that, lady. He's the best info guy you'll find on Fhotherite."
"Fhotherite, eh? So this hole does have a name." The man chuckled. "So where can I find this Kieran?"
"There's a landing pad 'bout ten miles north of here. He should still be there."
"Great." Meleina took off without another word, getting the feeling that here, niceties were completely wasted. She landed on the pad and looked around, noticing nobody nearby. The ship before her was sleek and slender, and she found herself raising an approving eyebrow. She crept forward cautiously, then placed a hand on the ship. Instantly, someone grabbed her from behind and slammed her to the ground. She snarled and tried to kick her attacker, but felt an incredibly sharp, stinging pain in her tail as her attacker slammed his foot down on it. It was a stroke of pure luck and skill that she didn't scream, but she lay on the ground trembling with pain. Her attacker grabbed her by the hair, keeping one hand on the tiny bit of her tail to subdue her, and yanked her to her feet.
"Nobody messes with my ship. What do you want?"
Meleina winced. "Who are you?"
There was a moment of silence, then, "The name's Kieran Treise. Who're you?"
"Meleina. I came here looking for you. I need a transport off this planet. My ship crashed and I got stuck here."
Kieran shoved her away. She staggered slightly, then regained her footing and turned to look at him. To Meleina, he was very Saiyan-like, though he lacked a tail. He stood about a head taller than she, with a shock of deep sea-green hair and golden-brown eyes. He was very muscular, but not in an overly strong type of way. Wow, he's actually pretty cute, Meleina thought, then quickly chased the thought out of her head. Anyone who would grab my tail like that is obviously a threat to me. "So where were you hiding? I didn't see you anywhere."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's my little secret, now, isn't it?" He studied her. "So you're stranded here, eh? Might I ask what a classy lady like yourself wants here?"
Meleina gave him a dirty look. "It wasn't by choice, believe me. Can you help me or not?"
"Give me a few days. I might be able to scrounge something up."
"I don't want a scrounge job, I want a good, reliable ship. I don't' want something that's going to break down halfway to my destination, get where I'm coming from?"
"Sure do. I'll warn you, good ships don't come cheap."
Meleina stopped. "Cheap?" Oh no, I don't have any money! Great.
Kieran chuckled coldly. "No cash, eh? Too bad. Guess I can't help you."
"You slimy-" Meleina lunged at him, but he suddenly vanished. She froze and landed on her feet. "What the.?" He reappeared just to the left of where he had been standing. "What did you do, make yourself invisible?"
"I can blend myself perfectly into any background I want. Creating, in effect, invisibility."
"Must be an awfully handy trick," Meleina sneered.
"Confuses poor fools like you, now, doesn't it?" He vanished again, then grabbed Meleina and slammed her against his ship. "Now listen to me, woman. You get me some money and I'll think about helping you out. Got it?"
Meleina curled her lip. "I got it. I'll get you your money." She turned and stalked away angrily toward the town. How am I ever going to get enough money to pay this guy? It's gotta be expensive to get a good transport.even less to get a good ship. Darn. She walked into the cheapest looking hotel she could find and walked up to the manager. "How much for a room?" she asked.
"That'll be twenty standard credits a night."
"Right." She left quickly and sat down in the nearest ally. Never thought I'd be sleeping out in the street on any planet. She shivered against the wind, then glared out. I'll show these people that I can make money. I'll show them all.
The next day, Meleina headed out into the city in search of work. She finally found a place willing to hire her- a cheap bar. She was almost fired ten minutes into the job for refusing to wear the outfit she was given.but managed to hold onto her position by blasting the costume. The manager didn't want trouble, so he let her wear her armor. After two hours as a waitress she found herself serving the table of Kieran Treise and some of his good friends. He recognized her instantly and started to laugh.
"I guess you want off this place more than I thought, woman," he sneered. Meleina forced herself to ignore him and take his order. When he left, she growled darkly. Great, now he's going to be coming in here at every possible chance to laugh at me. It was many hours later when she finally got off work. She had asked for her first paycheck to be given to her in cash (her boss agreed when she created a small energy blast in her hand and threatened to destroy the bar), and had just barely enough standard credits to spend the night in the cheap hotel. I've got ten left over.at this rate I'll be dead by the time I can earn the money to buy a transport!
She curled up in her bed to sleep, but couldn't keep the laughing face of Kieran out of her head. I'll show him, she thought, then smiled cruelly. I'll show that jerk just what I'm made out of.
The next morning Meleina didn't head for work but for the landing pad where Kieran kept his ship. She didn't hesitate or even bother searching for him, but fired one of her most powerful energy blasts and blew it up. "Not a bad job now, was it?" she asked herself with a smirk. She turned to leave and walked straight into Kieran.
"And I'm not going to do a bad job blowing you up, either, you little devil," he snarled, grabbing for her throat. She chuckled and activated her scouter.
"Bring it on," she sneered, drawing back out of his reach. He vanished, but her scouter told her his exact position, and she fired an energy blast at him.
"You wretch, you're cheating! Take that thing off!"
"No, I don't think so."
He reappeared and held his hands up. "Okay, fine. If you won't stop cheating, then I give up."
She looked startled. "Excuse me?"
"I give up! I'd offer you my ship, but.well, look at it!" He gestured and she turned. He vanished and reappeared right next to her, grabbing her tail and squeezing it.
She fell to her knees in pain and cried out. "Talk about cheating! Ow, let go!"
"I don't think so," he spat, punching her in the face. He clutched her tail tightly as he continued his merciless beating, finally knocking her into unconsciousness.
~*~
Meleina awoke in her own hotel room and sat up, confused. Was it all just a dream? She asked herself. She staggered to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Nope, it really happened, she answered herself, gingerly touching one of the several bruises on her face. So how'd I get back here?
She went back over to her bed and looked around, searching for some note of explanation and finding nothing but a piece of paper with a curious emblem on it. The emblem contained the initials K. T. colored in gold with silver outlining. She picked it up and frowned down at it curiously, then smiled softly. A guy who gives a beating like that then saves my life? What a soft, sentimental fool. But she tucked the paper into her pocket and headed to work, still smiling softly.
She arrived at work ten minutes early, still smiling. Her boss greeted her angrily. "Where were you yesterday? I was counting on you to be here, and you didn't bother to show up?"
"I was extremely ill," she said calmly. "I couldn't make it and I couldn't call. I'm sorry."
The manager blinked in surprise. "You're.sorry?"
"Isn't that what I said?"
"Well, yes, but.oh, okay, fine. Get out there to work."
Meleina smiled warmly. "Sure."
Kieran came in to the bar alone and sat down at a small table in Meleina's serving area. Goody, has he come to mock me? She slid over to the table and forced a smile on her face. "Good morning, sir, can I help you?"
He glanced up at her. "Sir, is it?" He gestured to her face. "Hard to believe you'd call me sir after I did that lovely job. I am sorry," he added softly.
Meleina shrugged. "I've had worse."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. You're awfully tough, but you don't know when to give it up. For people who've taken a good beating before, they know when people are going to explode and don't aggravate the situation any further. You.you don't do that. You just plow right ahead and hope for the best."
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"Nope." The door to the bar opened and a bird-like creature stepped in. "Get me some water, Waitress, and make it snappy." Meleina raised an eyebrow at his sudden attitude change and started to back off, but he grabbed her arm. "Staying at the same hotel tonight?" Meleina nodded. "I'll drop by after you get off work."
"Sure," she said with surprise. The bird being grabbed her arm.
"Out of my way," he spat, then sat down across from Kieran. Meleina bit her lip and nodded.
"My deepest apologies for being in your way. Can I get you something?"
The bird turned. "You can go away now, and I think that's about it. But thank you for your kindness," he sneered. Meleina huffed and moved on to another table, but kept half an ear on Kieran and his visitor.
"So, bounty hunter," the bird said shortly, "Have you discovered anything about these beings yet?"
"Not yet, but I'm searching."
"That waitress over there, she looks like one of them. Have you gotten anything from her? She seems to know you."
"She couldn't possibly be a Saiyan. Did you see what I did to her face?" Meleina straightened her shoulders. "No Saiyan could receive a beating like that, they're too strong."
"She has a tail, bounty hunter, or did you not notice? That's a Saiyan trait."
"Marioa, did you even take a close look at the tail? It's way too short to be Saiyan."
"What about the armor, eh?"
"A lot of people wear armor like that, Marioa."
"Look, bounty hunter, I want every last one of those Saiyans dead. You find out if she's a Saiyan, and if she is, you kill her and bring me her head. Those Saiyans deserve to die for what they did to my people." Meleina winced. That sounds awfully familiar.
"Okay, I'll find out if she's a Saiyan. And if she is, I'll kill her. If not, then we're all happy."
Marioa looked at Kieran through slitted eyes. "You do that, bounty hunter. You do that." The bird stood up, took one last glance in Meleina's direction, and walked out of the bar.
Meleina walked into the back room and glared at her boss. "I ain't feeling well, I need to head out. I do need to get pay for today, though." When he tried to protest, Meleina gave him a sharp look. "I need to buy new clothes and pay my rent. If I don't get my pay right now, I won't be able to do that and I'll come to work looking even shabbier. Do you really want that?" He grumbled darkly, then gave her the pay. "Thank you kindly."
Meleina didn't go back to her hotel right away, she stopped at a clothing store and bought a new outfit. Her tail was quickly becoming a problem on this planet. She was sure everybody knew by now that her tail was her weakest point, and that bird person employing bounty hunters to come after Saiyans didn't make her feel comfortable. She returned to her hotel room after quickly purchasing the first outfit she saw that fit her. She hurried into the bathroom, removed her armor, and wrapped her tail as far around her waist as it would go before putting on the new shirt and pants. This sure isn't comfortable, she thought darkly.
She sat down on the edge of her bed to mull over what she'd heard earlier. So Kieran is a bounty hunter and he's searching for Saiyans. He either thinks I'm not a Saiyan or knows I am and was trying to cover for me. But why would he try to cover for me? He must think I'm not a Saiyan. She sighed. And he's coming over today. Great, that's just what I need.
She stood up and went back into the bathroom to look herself over in the mirror, making sure her tail wasn't at all visible through the deep red clothing she wore.
~*~
An hour later there was a knock on the door. Meleina opened it and Kieran smiled faintly. He had changed from his normal pale green trousers and shirt to a navy blue outfit. "Come in," Meleina said, stepping out of his way. He made his way in almost nervously, and Meleina kept a careful gaze trained on him.
They stood in silence for several seconds before he finally said, "Nice place."
Meleina snorted. "Cut the small talk. Why'd you really come here?" She curled her lip. "Come to find out if I'm a Saiyan, bounty hunter?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You are a Saiyan, I know that. I'm not entirely stupid."
"So why'd you-"
"I told Marioa that you weren't because I didn't want to have to turn you in. I think you and me could work very well together, you know. You're tough and smart, and I'm tough and not as smart, and we could work well together."
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "A partnership? And what would I get out of it?"
"Well, once we got enough money to be a new ship, a transport off this rock." Meleina bit her lip. The offer was tempting. "You'd have a nice place to stay- my pad's much nicer than this dump- good food to eat, and clean clothing."
"How do we get the money to buy a new ship?"
"Well.you are a Saiyan, aren't you?" Meleina met his gaze and read in his eyes the plan he'd created.
"You bring me in for the bounty and I escape?" She cocked her head. "How do I know that you won't take the money and run?"
Kieran shrugged. "I guess you'd just have to trust me."
Meleina stared him straight in the eye for several seconds, and he met her gaze. She saw no deception in his features, and she nodded. "I'll warn you once: if you betray me, you won't live to regret the decision."
Kieran chuckled. "A true Saiyan." He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. "Let's go."
"You knew I was going to agree to this stupid idea all along, didn't you?" She sneered. "Or do you always carry those with you?" Kieran gave her a sharp look, and she laughed.
"I figured you really wanted out of here so you'd agree."
Meleina held out her hands and grimaced. He knows me pretty well, doesn't he? Kieran snapped the handcuffs on her wrists loosely and smiled. "I think this partnership is going to work out nicely. Wouldn't you agree?"
"We'll see about that," she grumbled, feeling slightly degraded. "I can't believe I let myself be caught by a bounty hunter."
Kieran smirked. "Let's get going. The sooner I turn you in, the sooner we can collect pay."
He led her to another hotel down the street. This one was much grander in style, and obviously made for the filthy rich. Marioa was sitting on a tiny bed, and he looked extremely pleased when Kieran pushed Meleina in. "So she is a Saiyan, eh? Well, well." He pulled out a wallet of money and handed it to Kieran. "Leave her here, bounty hunter, and get started searching for more Saiyans. I want all the rest."
Meleina decided to play her part out right, and she sneered. "Good luck searching. We're all dead now, I'm the only survivor. Pity, you won't be able to get your revenge for us killing all your people. Boo hoo."
Marioa backhanded her and snarled. "Oh, I'm sure that many of you survived. I'm not going to stop my search until I'm sure you're all dead."
"You'll be looking for a long time."
"This is all well and good, but I need to get going if I'm going to continue my hunt. Until later, Marioa," Kieran said shortly. He strode out of the room, leaving Meleina alone with Marioa.
She smiled viscously at him, then yanked her hands out of the cuffs. "Oops, look at what I did," she grinned.
Marioa froze and stared at her darkly. "How.what.?"
"You didn't honestly think that those little handcuffs were going to hold me for long, did you?" She shoved him up against the wall. "Now, you listen to me. I won't even hit you if you agree to let me go and not hunt down any of my fellow Saiyans."
"Yes.anything."
"Good. I'll warn you, Marioa, if I catch wind of you going after any Saiyans ever, you'll be mighty dead. Understand?"
"Y-yes," he squeaked. Meleina smiled and patted him on the cheek.
"Good lad. Ta-ta now."
She smirked. Out with a bang now, she told herself with a grin. Meleina smashed the window of his room and jumped out of it, catching herself easily before hitting the ground. She ran the rest of the way to Kieran's pad, glad they had actually pulled it off. Kieran saw her coming and waved. "That was faster than I expected."
"I didn't want to be stuck there any longer than necessary. Besides, Marioa is a coward. The minute I got out of my handcuffs he became a blubbering little fool."
Kieran smiled. "I made plenty of money of that little job. Got about half of what we'd need to buy a good ship. And you should have some from your job at the bar-"
"Nope, spent it all on this outfit," she said, tugging at the sleeves. "I didn't have that much anyway. I came here completely broke."
"Why would you travel without any money? It doesn't make any sense."
Meleina snorted. "I wasn't traveling, it was an accident that I came here."
Kieran looked at her. "So if you weren't traveling, what were you doing?"
"Originally? Looking for my little brother. After that I was trying to find an old friend, then trying not to get blown up when I came here."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "I'm not even going to ask. You must have found your brother, though. Why else would you be here?"
"Not yet. He's somewhere across the galaxy, that's why I need a good ship." Meleina sat down inside the pad and looked around. "For a ship storage, this place is really nice."
Kieran stared. "Ship storage?"
"Yeah. This is your pad, right?"
He snorted back a laugh. "You've got a lot to learn about the galaxy, girl. First things first: a pad is what a lot of us low-class folks call living spaces."
Meleina looked around again. "That explains the bed, I suppose." She looked up at him. "You're a low-class person?"
Kieran put a hand to his head and laughed. "Most of the people here are, Meleina. Or maybe you didn't notice the trashy city?"
"No, I noticed it, but I thought that the planet was trash for a reason- the natural inhabitants thriving on trash, for instance. I guess I was wrong."
"You really don't belong here at all, do you?"
"If this a low-class place, then I guess I do belong here. I'm one of the lowest-class Saiyans."
"Coulda fooled me," Kieran muttered under his breath, but Meleina heard and smiled. "So, we gotta find a way to make another five thousand credits. Your job isn't going to make that much, especially with you having to pay rent and that kind of thing- hey, wait a minute. You could just move in here, then you wouldn't have to worry about rent."
Meleina eyed him apprehensively. "Move in here? With you?"
"What, does that make you nervous?"
She bit her lip and looked around again. This place is nicer than that hotel.and I could afford to live here, and get off here soon enough. "Sure, why not? I'll move in. I just need to grab my armor and pay for last night's rent. It shouldn't take me very long." She hurried back to the hotel and gathered her armor in a bag to carry easier. She paid the rent- the hotel owner seemed more than happy that she was leaving- and flew at full speed back to Kieran's pad.
~*~
A month passed with her job as a waitress at the cheap bar paying for the necessary food and clothing items she and Kieran needed. She didn't resent the fact that she was paying for him to live- after all, she was living in his home, and besides, she liked that he depended on her for life. It made her feel strong and semi-independent.
She came home late one night to find the pad pitch black except for a small table set with two candles. She went over to the table curiously, surprised by the fine silverware and dishes. It looks like Kieran's really outdone himself this time, she thought with a smile. Hands suddenly slid around her head to cover her eyes and she heard a voice say lightly, "Guess who?"
"Kieran?" He pulled his hands away and turned her around. "Whoa, why are you dressed up?"
He fidgeted, and she grinned. He wasn't really dressed up, not the way she was used to the term, but he wore an outfit that didn't have a single dirt spot on it, and that classified as dressed up for Kieran. "It's our one month anniversary. Of working together," he added quickly, and she noticed a blush spread along his cheeks. Kieran? Blushing? Now what's wrong with this picture?
"Okay, what's really going on here?" she demanded, glaring at him.
"Nothing's going on!" he exclaimed.
"I don't buy that."
He smiled broadly, then suddenly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her softly. Completely shocked, she nearly shoved him away but caught herself in time and leaned into his embrace.
When they finally drew apart, she was highly embarrassed and surprised to find that she had actually enjoyed the kiss. He smiled at her curiously. "So?" he asked, bursting with energy.
She turned her back on him. "Are you trying to send me a message?" she asked coyly. "Here's one from me: wow."
He hesitated. "Wow good, or wow bad?"
She turned and grinned. "Good. Very good." She poked him in the shoulder. "What made you do that?"
He shrugged. "I've wanted to for a while now, but I forced myself to wait until our one-month anniversary."
She rolled her eyes. "Just because we're celebrating being in business for a month doesn't make it any more special, you know."
"So it was special?"
She slipped her arms around his neck. "Yeah, Kieran, it was special. Nobody's ever kissed me like that before." She paused. "Actually, nobody's ever even kissed me before." She met his tender gaze. "I'll never forget it," she added softly, then kissed his cheek gently.
~*~
After that night, she and Kieran decided to officially begin dating. She was surprised by her own willingness to be drawn into a relationship, though she did often wonder about life without Kieran, and held several doubts about the relationship (what would Dad have said? Me, with a non- Saiyan? He would have ignored me for the rest of my life!). For the most part, though, they were both quite pleased to spend as much time as possible with each other.
Meleina could remember one afternoon when she had overheard Kieran explaining to a friend of his why he had begun dating, and she would never forget the reply. "You think there's no such thing as a perfect woman, but I know differently. Meleina is smart, and sharp, and intelligent, and sassy, and just my type."
"You forgot drop-dead gorgeous," his friend had pointed out with a smirk.
"Yeah, but that one's not as important. No, I think what really draws me to her is the way she acts around me."
Meleina always smiled at the memory of that conversation. It was something she would never forget; another quirk about Kieran that she had discovered as she got to know him better and better: he was very open with his emotions around his friends, and he always told people what was on his mind.
She looked out of the window of the pad to the city where Kieran had gone to work. He had told her a few weeks ago that they only needed a thousand more credits, certainly if they were both holding a good, steady job they could get those credits more quickly. Between food, clothing, and rent space for the pad, it had taken nearly a year to collect four thousand credits toward a ship, but Meleina was beginning to have doubts about wanting to find her little brother. She had a good life here, a happy life with Kieran. He was very kind to her when he wanted to be, but he could be every bit as Saiyan in attitude as she was. It was the kindness that struck her as his best feature, and she knew that her brother wouldn't have that kindness. He is a pure Saiyan, after all, sent to kill millions. He wouldn't know how to be kind. She had begun to thrive on Kieran's kindness and the kindness of the people in the city as they got to know her better. Her first reaction to the city had been wrong; she had figured it as a city with no rules and no loyalties, but she soon discovered that she was wrong. These people weren't her own, but they accepted her as a friend and strove to bring her into the community. She had made many valuable friends, people she could talk to about anything. In a way this community reminded her of Namek, although the people were a bit harsher and more like her.
The door burst open and Kieran came in. He looked exhausted, and Meleina set a hand on his shoulder. "Hard day?" she asked softly.
"It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't nearly been robbed," he grumbled.
Meleina looked at him. "Why were you almost robbed? You don't have anything of value with you, you refuse to carry anything worth money."
"Today was a little different." He smiled coyly and pulled something out of his pocket. "I bought this little beauty today."
"You bought.? Kieran, I thought we were saving up for a ship! And if we still are, we don't have enough money to spend on extra things!"
He scratched his head. "Rumor has it that you're starting to think you don't want to leave. Is that true, Meleina?"
She sat down on the couch and sighed. "I'm really happy here, Kieran. Happier than I've ever been. I'm not sure I want to give it all up."
"Maybe you don't have to. Look, we've got a lot of money, if we keep saving we can buy a good-sized home closer to the city and start a family." He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "God, this is so nerve- wracking."
"Kieran?" Meleina asked uncertainly.
He grabbed her hand. "Open up that package, Mel, take a look inside it."
She gave him a blank look but did as she was told. Inside were two identical silver chains, each with a dark red ring. She picked up one ring with trembling hands and looked down at it. "Meleina and Kieran Treise," she read in a whisper, then picked up the other ring and read the same thing. "Kieran, do you know what this is?"
"Yeah," he said with a slow nod. "I did my homework and looked up how Saiyans propose to each other. There wasn't a lot of information, but I think I got it right."
Meleina looked up at him. "Kieran.I don't know what to say."
"How about yes or no?"
She laughed and hugged him. "Yes, Kieran. Definitely yes." She bit her lip and slid the chain around her neck. It's weight felt reassuring, and her smile widened. "Wow," she whispered, then laughed and hugged him again.
"Are you up to starting a family? I know Saiyans aren't much into the family deal, but.well, I've always wanted kids."
Meleina wiped her eyes and nodded. "I don't think I'm too much a Saiyan anymore, Kieran. I'd love to have a family."
He kissed her cheek. "It's settled, then."
She met his gaze. "Yeah, settled. I love you, Kieran."
"I know, Mel. I love you, too."
They legally married two months later, and continued saving to buy a nice house where they could raise their children. Meleina was four months pregnant with their first child when they settled a deal on a nice three- bedroom home with a huge yard. They moved in, and Kieran insisted that Meleina quit her job for her own health as well as the health of their kid.
Meleina leaned contentedly against Kieran's chest while they watched the blazing fire in the stony fireplace. She sighed happily and set her hand on her slightly swollen stomach. The pregnancy was not easy or comfortable, and Meleina knew it was taking a toll on her husband as well. The very foundations of their marriage were being tested as Meleina's moodiness and temper increased daily and both husband and wife had spent many lonely hours questioning their relationship. Kieran had finally told her that they needed time away from each other to ride out their troubles. Meleina had felt terrible for the way she'd been treating her husband and tried to make it up to him by cooking dinner. She wound up burning a fair portion of the kitchen, then turned it completely white trying to put out the fire. Kieran had run in, terrified that she'd been hurt, took one look at the mess, then at his wife's horrified expression, and burst into laughter. Meleina had nearly slapped him, but decided that act alone might forge a permanent rift in their love, so she chose another option and laughed along with him. He took her out to a nice dinner and the two had retired to the fireplace in peace.
Kieran set his hand on hers and smile. "What are we going to name him?"
"Or her," Meleina pointed out. She smiled up at him, then gently kissed his chin. "I'll warn you now, though. Twins run common in my family."
He smiled. "More to love, right?"
She reached a hand up and stroked his cheek. "Right." She smiled softly. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk lately."
Kieran pulled her closer. "Hey, you're pregnant. You deserve to be a jerk." She laughed and poked his knee.
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling." She grinned slyly. "Now, I'm afraid that I'm pregnant and can't move, could you by any chance get me something to eat?" she asked innocently. Kieran laughed and stroked her hair.
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling," he repeated devilishly. "I'll remember that."
Meleina grinned. "I'm not really hungry, dear. You don't have to get up."
"Good thing, too." He hugged her. "So, what are we going to name him? Or her? Or them, if it comes to that?"
Meleina shrugged. "The names aren't really all that important to me, Kieran. I'm just happy that we're going to be having these kids. I figured that we'd burn that bridge when we came to it."
Kieran smiled. "Good enough for me, love." He kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Meleina."
She gave him a happy look. "I love you more."
"I love you infinity times more."
"I love you infinity times more plus one." They looked at each other, then laughed at the pure childishness of their conversation.
"How the devil do you think we're going to raise kids if we keep acting like them?" Kieran wondered aloud.
"That's what'll make us such great parents- the fact that we actually try to have fun and act like kids."
"Oh, so now it's a good thing to act like a kid?"
Meleina smiled. "Only around the kids, dear."
Kieran met her gaze. "I do love you, Meleina."
She touched his cheek and kissed him. "I know, dear. I love you, too."
Meleina gave birth to twins to her pleasure and Kieran's horror. They were truly Saiyan; they had nasty tempers to go with their tails. They named the baby boy Vrail, in honor of Kieran's father, and the baby girl Reine. When Vrail and Reine were four, Meleina had another baby, a boy whom she named Ronan. That time period was very trying on the entire family, as Meleina nearly died giving birth. It was sheer will that pulled her through, though she spent a week in a coma and a month after awakening in the hospital Two years later she went back to work, insisting that Vrail and Reine were old enough to be left alone during the day with their baby brother. She and Kieran had fiercely argued over this point, finally deciding that they would be fine if left with one of Kieran's friends.
When the twins turned seven, Meleina was promoted to manager of the small bar. She and Kieran went out alone that night to celebrate, Kieran saying fervently that after working there for so long, she deserved a promotion.
Vrail and Reine were nine, Ronan seven, when Meleina thought again of her life as a Saiyan. She had heard rumors that day in the city of three strangers, all of whom had tails. One of the strangers kept hers wrapped around her waist the way Meleina sometimes did, though the stranger had a much longer tail. Meleina made a mental note to tell Kieran about the strangers when she got home. He had taken the day off to stay at home with the kids for father-kid bonding (she laughed at the statement and said that they were already close enough), but he insisted.
She decided to take the afternoon off and head home to spend time with her family, so she sped as fast as she could. She cherished the time she spent with her husband and children, and left work early as often as she could to be with them more.
She walked in the front door, announcing her usual, "Mom's home!" The first thing she noticed wrong was that there was no reply. Normally, even on days when Kieran was home, the kids would run to greet her. Maybe they're outside playing. Either that or Kieran took them to the city and forgot to tell me. She smiled as she looked around the house. That had to be it. As much as she loved him, she knew how forgetful he was when it came to mentioning her when he was taking off with the kids for a little while. She decided to clean up the house a little bit (undoubtedly, her four family members would have it pretty well destroyed by now). She strode into the entertainment center where the children kept their toys, expecting their games to be strewn all over the floor. She opened the door, then stopped dead and screamed, her hands flying to her mouth. She sank slowly to the floor as her vision swam dizzily. Lying on the floor in front of her was her family, husband and three children, all dead. Her husband had a hole through his chest, Vrail and Reine looked badly burned, and Ronan's head was craned at a sickening angle. She scrambled over to them and pulled Kieran into her lap, holding him tightly and sobbing loudly, willing him back to life. "Kieran," she choked. "Kieran!" She clutched him tightly to her chest, hoping that at any moment he would wake up and smile at her. She sat like that for several long hours until the terrible grief gave way to an even more terrible, piercing anger. Whoever did this had to still be on Fhotherite, she felt deep in her heart, and she vowed not to rest until her family's murderer was also dead. She raced outside and felt a deep energy flow through her. Of all the nights.the full moon! It had been many years since she'd even considered transforming, but tonight she didn't hesitate. She turned her gaze to the moon and stared at it, the familiar feelings coursing through her body as she transformed into the powerful Oozaru beast. By the time her transformation was complete, she had lost all sentient thought, her mind and body screaming for revenge.
Meleina fell into a deeply troubled sleep. She was haunted by the memories of her close Namekian friends and the knowledge that they were all dead by now. Made even worse was the fact that she couldn't do anything to save them- or hadn't tried hard enough. She wondered if, deep down, she could have attacked Frieza and stopped him from destroying her new home. It disturbed her that she would never know; that she hadn't even tried to stop him.
She awoke when her ship slammed into a planet. She groaned and stretched her cramped muscles, then opened the hatch and stepped out onto the ugly planet, nearly choking on the air. "Ugh, of all the places to land," she grumbled, looking around. The soil was a deep purple and red, mixed together in an ugly fashion that made Meleina wince. She had been to many different planets in her life, but this was by far the nastiest. The air was heavy and filled with sulfur, and the temperature was far hotter than she was used to. Along the terrain were many black marks that appeared to be the results of battles, though Meleina wasn't entirely certain- they could just be natural landforms on this ugly planet. She shook her head and turned back to her ship. "Well, at least I can program this thing and get away from here fast enough." She punched a few buttons on the computer, but scowled as nothing happened. "Hey, what kind of a sick joke is this?" She brought her fist down on the computer console, and again nothing happened. "Oh, please don't tell me this thing is broken down." She hit the computer once more, then groaned and sat down. "Great, now I'm stuck here. This is just what I need."
She stalked angrily out of the ship and took off in quick flight toward the nearest city. When she arrived, she was even more sickened by the sights she saw. The city was filled with people, but not a single one looked even remotely friendly. And, she saw with dismay, most of them were men. Oh, that's even better. I get stuck in a scum-hole. One man came near her and she flicked her short tail a little bit. Any Saiyan would recognize the warning, but this fool most likely wouldn't. To her surprise, he froze, then backed off a bit. So he knows what a Saiyan is. Good, he'd better warn his friends not to mess with me.
She walked confidently into the nearest bar and gazed around. Several people stared at her in shock, but she strode calmly up to the bartender. "I need a new ship, or at very least a transport." The bartender continued wiping down the counter without even glancing at her. She smiled. "Going to go 'bout this the hard way, are you?" She grabbed his shirt and slammed him into the nearest wall. "Where can I get what I need?"
The bartender brushed himself off. "You really shouldn't have done that." He slammed a clenched fist down on the bar, and several people in bumblebee yellow shirts entered the bar.
"Excuse me, miss, I'm afraid you'll be coming with us," the leader said coolly, then grabbed her arm.
Meleina looked at him. "Let go of me," she said in a dangerously calm tone.
"No, ma'am, I can't do that. Sorry."
"This is your last warning. Let go of me." He turned to drag her out of the bar. She curled her lip and swung her leg to kick him in the side. He went down hard, and his companions took a battle stance. Meleina grinned. "Good, I've been looking for a good fight. However, I don't really have the time, so if any of you wants to give me the info I need, I'd be more than happy to get on my way and leave you happy folks alone."
The yellow shirts glared at her. "I think not, lady. See, ain't nobody beats up one of us and gets away with it."
One of the bar's patrons stood up. "Now, Rok, there's no need for all of this. I'll take care of the lady and get her out of here, no trouble. The Bees needn't worry about her anymore, unless you want to track her down once she's gone and get revenge." The man dug his fingers deep into Meleina's shoulder and pushed her out of the bar. "You're pretty tough, lady. The Bees are the toughest gang 'round here, and you came in and knocked out their leader. That takes guts."
"I got plenty of those to go around. You got the information I need?"
"Depends on what you need."
"A fast, reliable ship, or a transport if you can't scrounge up a ship fast enough."
The man shook his head. "You'll have to talk to Kieran 'bout that, lady. He's the best info guy you'll find on Fhotherite."
"Fhotherite, eh? So this hole does have a name." The man chuckled. "So where can I find this Kieran?"
"There's a landing pad 'bout ten miles north of here. He should still be there."
"Great." Meleina took off without another word, getting the feeling that here, niceties were completely wasted. She landed on the pad and looked around, noticing nobody nearby. The ship before her was sleek and slender, and she found herself raising an approving eyebrow. She crept forward cautiously, then placed a hand on the ship. Instantly, someone grabbed her from behind and slammed her to the ground. She snarled and tried to kick her attacker, but felt an incredibly sharp, stinging pain in her tail as her attacker slammed his foot down on it. It was a stroke of pure luck and skill that she didn't scream, but she lay on the ground trembling with pain. Her attacker grabbed her by the hair, keeping one hand on the tiny bit of her tail to subdue her, and yanked her to her feet.
"Nobody messes with my ship. What do you want?"
Meleina winced. "Who are you?"
There was a moment of silence, then, "The name's Kieran Treise. Who're you?"
"Meleina. I came here looking for you. I need a transport off this planet. My ship crashed and I got stuck here."
Kieran shoved her away. She staggered slightly, then regained her footing and turned to look at him. To Meleina, he was very Saiyan-like, though he lacked a tail. He stood about a head taller than she, with a shock of deep sea-green hair and golden-brown eyes. He was very muscular, but not in an overly strong type of way. Wow, he's actually pretty cute, Meleina thought, then quickly chased the thought out of her head. Anyone who would grab my tail like that is obviously a threat to me. "So where were you hiding? I didn't see you anywhere."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's my little secret, now, isn't it?" He studied her. "So you're stranded here, eh? Might I ask what a classy lady like yourself wants here?"
Meleina gave him a dirty look. "It wasn't by choice, believe me. Can you help me or not?"
"Give me a few days. I might be able to scrounge something up."
"I don't want a scrounge job, I want a good, reliable ship. I don't' want something that's going to break down halfway to my destination, get where I'm coming from?"
"Sure do. I'll warn you, good ships don't come cheap."
Meleina stopped. "Cheap?" Oh no, I don't have any money! Great.
Kieran chuckled coldly. "No cash, eh? Too bad. Guess I can't help you."
"You slimy-" Meleina lunged at him, but he suddenly vanished. She froze and landed on her feet. "What the.?" He reappeared just to the left of where he had been standing. "What did you do, make yourself invisible?"
"I can blend myself perfectly into any background I want. Creating, in effect, invisibility."
"Must be an awfully handy trick," Meleina sneered.
"Confuses poor fools like you, now, doesn't it?" He vanished again, then grabbed Meleina and slammed her against his ship. "Now listen to me, woman. You get me some money and I'll think about helping you out. Got it?"
Meleina curled her lip. "I got it. I'll get you your money." She turned and stalked away angrily toward the town. How am I ever going to get enough money to pay this guy? It's gotta be expensive to get a good transport.even less to get a good ship. Darn. She walked into the cheapest looking hotel she could find and walked up to the manager. "How much for a room?" she asked.
"That'll be twenty standard credits a night."
"Right." She left quickly and sat down in the nearest ally. Never thought I'd be sleeping out in the street on any planet. She shivered against the wind, then glared out. I'll show these people that I can make money. I'll show them all.
The next day, Meleina headed out into the city in search of work. She finally found a place willing to hire her- a cheap bar. She was almost fired ten minutes into the job for refusing to wear the outfit she was given.but managed to hold onto her position by blasting the costume. The manager didn't want trouble, so he let her wear her armor. After two hours as a waitress she found herself serving the table of Kieran Treise and some of his good friends. He recognized her instantly and started to laugh.
"I guess you want off this place more than I thought, woman," he sneered. Meleina forced herself to ignore him and take his order. When he left, she growled darkly. Great, now he's going to be coming in here at every possible chance to laugh at me. It was many hours later when she finally got off work. She had asked for her first paycheck to be given to her in cash (her boss agreed when she created a small energy blast in her hand and threatened to destroy the bar), and had just barely enough standard credits to spend the night in the cheap hotel. I've got ten left over.at this rate I'll be dead by the time I can earn the money to buy a transport!
She curled up in her bed to sleep, but couldn't keep the laughing face of Kieran out of her head. I'll show him, she thought, then smiled cruelly. I'll show that jerk just what I'm made out of.
The next morning Meleina didn't head for work but for the landing pad where Kieran kept his ship. She didn't hesitate or even bother searching for him, but fired one of her most powerful energy blasts and blew it up. "Not a bad job now, was it?" she asked herself with a smirk. She turned to leave and walked straight into Kieran.
"And I'm not going to do a bad job blowing you up, either, you little devil," he snarled, grabbing for her throat. She chuckled and activated her scouter.
"Bring it on," she sneered, drawing back out of his reach. He vanished, but her scouter told her his exact position, and she fired an energy blast at him.
"You wretch, you're cheating! Take that thing off!"
"No, I don't think so."
He reappeared and held his hands up. "Okay, fine. If you won't stop cheating, then I give up."
She looked startled. "Excuse me?"
"I give up! I'd offer you my ship, but.well, look at it!" He gestured and she turned. He vanished and reappeared right next to her, grabbing her tail and squeezing it.
She fell to her knees in pain and cried out. "Talk about cheating! Ow, let go!"
"I don't think so," he spat, punching her in the face. He clutched her tail tightly as he continued his merciless beating, finally knocking her into unconsciousness.
~*~
Meleina awoke in her own hotel room and sat up, confused. Was it all just a dream? She asked herself. She staggered to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Nope, it really happened, she answered herself, gingerly touching one of the several bruises on her face. So how'd I get back here?
She went back over to her bed and looked around, searching for some note of explanation and finding nothing but a piece of paper with a curious emblem on it. The emblem contained the initials K. T. colored in gold with silver outlining. She picked it up and frowned down at it curiously, then smiled softly. A guy who gives a beating like that then saves my life? What a soft, sentimental fool. But she tucked the paper into her pocket and headed to work, still smiling softly.
She arrived at work ten minutes early, still smiling. Her boss greeted her angrily. "Where were you yesterday? I was counting on you to be here, and you didn't bother to show up?"
"I was extremely ill," she said calmly. "I couldn't make it and I couldn't call. I'm sorry."
The manager blinked in surprise. "You're.sorry?"
"Isn't that what I said?"
"Well, yes, but.oh, okay, fine. Get out there to work."
Meleina smiled warmly. "Sure."
Kieran came in to the bar alone and sat down at a small table in Meleina's serving area. Goody, has he come to mock me? She slid over to the table and forced a smile on her face. "Good morning, sir, can I help you?"
He glanced up at her. "Sir, is it?" He gestured to her face. "Hard to believe you'd call me sir after I did that lovely job. I am sorry," he added softly.
Meleina shrugged. "I've had worse."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Somehow I find that hard to believe."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. You're awfully tough, but you don't know when to give it up. For people who've taken a good beating before, they know when people are going to explode and don't aggravate the situation any further. You.you don't do that. You just plow right ahead and hope for the best."
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"Nope." The door to the bar opened and a bird-like creature stepped in. "Get me some water, Waitress, and make it snappy." Meleina raised an eyebrow at his sudden attitude change and started to back off, but he grabbed her arm. "Staying at the same hotel tonight?" Meleina nodded. "I'll drop by after you get off work."
"Sure," she said with surprise. The bird being grabbed her arm.
"Out of my way," he spat, then sat down across from Kieran. Meleina bit her lip and nodded.
"My deepest apologies for being in your way. Can I get you something?"
The bird turned. "You can go away now, and I think that's about it. But thank you for your kindness," he sneered. Meleina huffed and moved on to another table, but kept half an ear on Kieran and his visitor.
"So, bounty hunter," the bird said shortly, "Have you discovered anything about these beings yet?"
"Not yet, but I'm searching."
"That waitress over there, she looks like one of them. Have you gotten anything from her? She seems to know you."
"She couldn't possibly be a Saiyan. Did you see what I did to her face?" Meleina straightened her shoulders. "No Saiyan could receive a beating like that, they're too strong."
"She has a tail, bounty hunter, or did you not notice? That's a Saiyan trait."
"Marioa, did you even take a close look at the tail? It's way too short to be Saiyan."
"What about the armor, eh?"
"A lot of people wear armor like that, Marioa."
"Look, bounty hunter, I want every last one of those Saiyans dead. You find out if she's a Saiyan, and if she is, you kill her and bring me her head. Those Saiyans deserve to die for what they did to my people." Meleina winced. That sounds awfully familiar.
"Okay, I'll find out if she's a Saiyan. And if she is, I'll kill her. If not, then we're all happy."
Marioa looked at Kieran through slitted eyes. "You do that, bounty hunter. You do that." The bird stood up, took one last glance in Meleina's direction, and walked out of the bar.
Meleina walked into the back room and glared at her boss. "I ain't feeling well, I need to head out. I do need to get pay for today, though." When he tried to protest, Meleina gave him a sharp look. "I need to buy new clothes and pay my rent. If I don't get my pay right now, I won't be able to do that and I'll come to work looking even shabbier. Do you really want that?" He grumbled darkly, then gave her the pay. "Thank you kindly."
Meleina didn't go back to her hotel right away, she stopped at a clothing store and bought a new outfit. Her tail was quickly becoming a problem on this planet. She was sure everybody knew by now that her tail was her weakest point, and that bird person employing bounty hunters to come after Saiyans didn't make her feel comfortable. She returned to her hotel room after quickly purchasing the first outfit she saw that fit her. She hurried into the bathroom, removed her armor, and wrapped her tail as far around her waist as it would go before putting on the new shirt and pants. This sure isn't comfortable, she thought darkly.
She sat down on the edge of her bed to mull over what she'd heard earlier. So Kieran is a bounty hunter and he's searching for Saiyans. He either thinks I'm not a Saiyan or knows I am and was trying to cover for me. But why would he try to cover for me? He must think I'm not a Saiyan. She sighed. And he's coming over today. Great, that's just what I need.
She stood up and went back into the bathroom to look herself over in the mirror, making sure her tail wasn't at all visible through the deep red clothing she wore.
~*~
An hour later there was a knock on the door. Meleina opened it and Kieran smiled faintly. He had changed from his normal pale green trousers and shirt to a navy blue outfit. "Come in," Meleina said, stepping out of his way. He made his way in almost nervously, and Meleina kept a careful gaze trained on him.
They stood in silence for several seconds before he finally said, "Nice place."
Meleina snorted. "Cut the small talk. Why'd you really come here?" She curled her lip. "Come to find out if I'm a Saiyan, bounty hunter?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You are a Saiyan, I know that. I'm not entirely stupid."
"So why'd you-"
"I told Marioa that you weren't because I didn't want to have to turn you in. I think you and me could work very well together, you know. You're tough and smart, and I'm tough and not as smart, and we could work well together."
Meleina raised an eyebrow. "A partnership? And what would I get out of it?"
"Well, once we got enough money to be a new ship, a transport off this rock." Meleina bit her lip. The offer was tempting. "You'd have a nice place to stay- my pad's much nicer than this dump- good food to eat, and clean clothing."
"How do we get the money to buy a new ship?"
"Well.you are a Saiyan, aren't you?" Meleina met his gaze and read in his eyes the plan he'd created.
"You bring me in for the bounty and I escape?" She cocked her head. "How do I know that you won't take the money and run?"
Kieran shrugged. "I guess you'd just have to trust me."
Meleina stared him straight in the eye for several seconds, and he met her gaze. She saw no deception in his features, and she nodded. "I'll warn you once: if you betray me, you won't live to regret the decision."
Kieran chuckled. "A true Saiyan." He pulled a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. "Let's go."
"You knew I was going to agree to this stupid idea all along, didn't you?" She sneered. "Or do you always carry those with you?" Kieran gave her a sharp look, and she laughed.
"I figured you really wanted out of here so you'd agree."
Meleina held out her hands and grimaced. He knows me pretty well, doesn't he? Kieran snapped the handcuffs on her wrists loosely and smiled. "I think this partnership is going to work out nicely. Wouldn't you agree?"
"We'll see about that," she grumbled, feeling slightly degraded. "I can't believe I let myself be caught by a bounty hunter."
Kieran smirked. "Let's get going. The sooner I turn you in, the sooner we can collect pay."
He led her to another hotel down the street. This one was much grander in style, and obviously made for the filthy rich. Marioa was sitting on a tiny bed, and he looked extremely pleased when Kieran pushed Meleina in. "So she is a Saiyan, eh? Well, well." He pulled out a wallet of money and handed it to Kieran. "Leave her here, bounty hunter, and get started searching for more Saiyans. I want all the rest."
Meleina decided to play her part out right, and she sneered. "Good luck searching. We're all dead now, I'm the only survivor. Pity, you won't be able to get your revenge for us killing all your people. Boo hoo."
Marioa backhanded her and snarled. "Oh, I'm sure that many of you survived. I'm not going to stop my search until I'm sure you're all dead."
"You'll be looking for a long time."
"This is all well and good, but I need to get going if I'm going to continue my hunt. Until later, Marioa," Kieran said shortly. He strode out of the room, leaving Meleina alone with Marioa.
She smiled viscously at him, then yanked her hands out of the cuffs. "Oops, look at what I did," she grinned.
Marioa froze and stared at her darkly. "How.what.?"
"You didn't honestly think that those little handcuffs were going to hold me for long, did you?" She shoved him up against the wall. "Now, you listen to me. I won't even hit you if you agree to let me go and not hunt down any of my fellow Saiyans."
"Yes.anything."
"Good. I'll warn you, Marioa, if I catch wind of you going after any Saiyans ever, you'll be mighty dead. Understand?"
"Y-yes," he squeaked. Meleina smiled and patted him on the cheek.
"Good lad. Ta-ta now."
She smirked. Out with a bang now, she told herself with a grin. Meleina smashed the window of his room and jumped out of it, catching herself easily before hitting the ground. She ran the rest of the way to Kieran's pad, glad they had actually pulled it off. Kieran saw her coming and waved. "That was faster than I expected."
"I didn't want to be stuck there any longer than necessary. Besides, Marioa is a coward. The minute I got out of my handcuffs he became a blubbering little fool."
Kieran smiled. "I made plenty of money of that little job. Got about half of what we'd need to buy a good ship. And you should have some from your job at the bar-"
"Nope, spent it all on this outfit," she said, tugging at the sleeves. "I didn't have that much anyway. I came here completely broke."
"Why would you travel without any money? It doesn't make any sense."
Meleina snorted. "I wasn't traveling, it was an accident that I came here."
Kieran looked at her. "So if you weren't traveling, what were you doing?"
"Originally? Looking for my little brother. After that I was trying to find an old friend, then trying not to get blown up when I came here."
Kieran raised an eyebrow. "I'm not even going to ask. You must have found your brother, though. Why else would you be here?"
"Not yet. He's somewhere across the galaxy, that's why I need a good ship." Meleina sat down inside the pad and looked around. "For a ship storage, this place is really nice."
Kieran stared. "Ship storage?"
"Yeah. This is your pad, right?"
He snorted back a laugh. "You've got a lot to learn about the galaxy, girl. First things first: a pad is what a lot of us low-class folks call living spaces."
Meleina looked around again. "That explains the bed, I suppose." She looked up at him. "You're a low-class person?"
Kieran put a hand to his head and laughed. "Most of the people here are, Meleina. Or maybe you didn't notice the trashy city?"
"No, I noticed it, but I thought that the planet was trash for a reason- the natural inhabitants thriving on trash, for instance. I guess I was wrong."
"You really don't belong here at all, do you?"
"If this a low-class place, then I guess I do belong here. I'm one of the lowest-class Saiyans."
"Coulda fooled me," Kieran muttered under his breath, but Meleina heard and smiled. "So, we gotta find a way to make another five thousand credits. Your job isn't going to make that much, especially with you having to pay rent and that kind of thing- hey, wait a minute. You could just move in here, then you wouldn't have to worry about rent."
Meleina eyed him apprehensively. "Move in here? With you?"
"What, does that make you nervous?"
She bit her lip and looked around again. This place is nicer than that hotel.and I could afford to live here, and get off here soon enough. "Sure, why not? I'll move in. I just need to grab my armor and pay for last night's rent. It shouldn't take me very long." She hurried back to the hotel and gathered her armor in a bag to carry easier. She paid the rent- the hotel owner seemed more than happy that she was leaving- and flew at full speed back to Kieran's pad.
~*~
A month passed with her job as a waitress at the cheap bar paying for the necessary food and clothing items she and Kieran needed. She didn't resent the fact that she was paying for him to live- after all, she was living in his home, and besides, she liked that he depended on her for life. It made her feel strong and semi-independent.
She came home late one night to find the pad pitch black except for a small table set with two candles. She went over to the table curiously, surprised by the fine silverware and dishes. It looks like Kieran's really outdone himself this time, she thought with a smile. Hands suddenly slid around her head to cover her eyes and she heard a voice say lightly, "Guess who?"
"Kieran?" He pulled his hands away and turned her around. "Whoa, why are you dressed up?"
He fidgeted, and she grinned. He wasn't really dressed up, not the way she was used to the term, but he wore an outfit that didn't have a single dirt spot on it, and that classified as dressed up for Kieran. "It's our one month anniversary. Of working together," he added quickly, and she noticed a blush spread along his cheeks. Kieran? Blushing? Now what's wrong with this picture?
"Okay, what's really going on here?" she demanded, glaring at him.
"Nothing's going on!" he exclaimed.
"I don't buy that."
He smiled broadly, then suddenly pulled her into his embrace and kissed her softly. Completely shocked, she nearly shoved him away but caught herself in time and leaned into his embrace.
When they finally drew apart, she was highly embarrassed and surprised to find that she had actually enjoyed the kiss. He smiled at her curiously. "So?" he asked, bursting with energy.
She turned her back on him. "Are you trying to send me a message?" she asked coyly. "Here's one from me: wow."
He hesitated. "Wow good, or wow bad?"
She turned and grinned. "Good. Very good." She poked him in the shoulder. "What made you do that?"
He shrugged. "I've wanted to for a while now, but I forced myself to wait until our one-month anniversary."
She rolled her eyes. "Just because we're celebrating being in business for a month doesn't make it any more special, you know."
"So it was special?"
She slipped her arms around his neck. "Yeah, Kieran, it was special. Nobody's ever kissed me like that before." She paused. "Actually, nobody's ever even kissed me before." She met his tender gaze. "I'll never forget it," she added softly, then kissed his cheek gently.
~*~
After that night, she and Kieran decided to officially begin dating. She was surprised by her own willingness to be drawn into a relationship, though she did often wonder about life without Kieran, and held several doubts about the relationship (what would Dad have said? Me, with a non- Saiyan? He would have ignored me for the rest of my life!). For the most part, though, they were both quite pleased to spend as much time as possible with each other.
Meleina could remember one afternoon when she had overheard Kieran explaining to a friend of his why he had begun dating, and she would never forget the reply. "You think there's no such thing as a perfect woman, but I know differently. Meleina is smart, and sharp, and intelligent, and sassy, and just my type."
"You forgot drop-dead gorgeous," his friend had pointed out with a smirk.
"Yeah, but that one's not as important. No, I think what really draws me to her is the way she acts around me."
Meleina always smiled at the memory of that conversation. It was something she would never forget; another quirk about Kieran that she had discovered as she got to know him better and better: he was very open with his emotions around his friends, and he always told people what was on his mind.
She looked out of the window of the pad to the city where Kieran had gone to work. He had told her a few weeks ago that they only needed a thousand more credits, certainly if they were both holding a good, steady job they could get those credits more quickly. Between food, clothing, and rent space for the pad, it had taken nearly a year to collect four thousand credits toward a ship, but Meleina was beginning to have doubts about wanting to find her little brother. She had a good life here, a happy life with Kieran. He was very kind to her when he wanted to be, but he could be every bit as Saiyan in attitude as she was. It was the kindness that struck her as his best feature, and she knew that her brother wouldn't have that kindness. He is a pure Saiyan, after all, sent to kill millions. He wouldn't know how to be kind. She had begun to thrive on Kieran's kindness and the kindness of the people in the city as they got to know her better. Her first reaction to the city had been wrong; she had figured it as a city with no rules and no loyalties, but she soon discovered that she was wrong. These people weren't her own, but they accepted her as a friend and strove to bring her into the community. She had made many valuable friends, people she could talk to about anything. In a way this community reminded her of Namek, although the people were a bit harsher and more like her.
The door burst open and Kieran came in. He looked exhausted, and Meleina set a hand on his shoulder. "Hard day?" she asked softly.
"It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't nearly been robbed," he grumbled.
Meleina looked at him. "Why were you almost robbed? You don't have anything of value with you, you refuse to carry anything worth money."
"Today was a little different." He smiled coyly and pulled something out of his pocket. "I bought this little beauty today."
"You bought.? Kieran, I thought we were saving up for a ship! And if we still are, we don't have enough money to spend on extra things!"
He scratched his head. "Rumor has it that you're starting to think you don't want to leave. Is that true, Meleina?"
She sat down on the couch and sighed. "I'm really happy here, Kieran. Happier than I've ever been. I'm not sure I want to give it all up."
"Maybe you don't have to. Look, we've got a lot of money, if we keep saving we can buy a good-sized home closer to the city and start a family." He took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "God, this is so nerve- wracking."
"Kieran?" Meleina asked uncertainly.
He grabbed her hand. "Open up that package, Mel, take a look inside it."
She gave him a blank look but did as she was told. Inside were two identical silver chains, each with a dark red ring. She picked up one ring with trembling hands and looked down at it. "Meleina and Kieran Treise," she read in a whisper, then picked up the other ring and read the same thing. "Kieran, do you know what this is?"
"Yeah," he said with a slow nod. "I did my homework and looked up how Saiyans propose to each other. There wasn't a lot of information, but I think I got it right."
Meleina looked up at him. "Kieran.I don't know what to say."
"How about yes or no?"
She laughed and hugged him. "Yes, Kieran. Definitely yes." She bit her lip and slid the chain around her neck. It's weight felt reassuring, and her smile widened. "Wow," she whispered, then laughed and hugged him again.
"Are you up to starting a family? I know Saiyans aren't much into the family deal, but.well, I've always wanted kids."
Meleina wiped her eyes and nodded. "I don't think I'm too much a Saiyan anymore, Kieran. I'd love to have a family."
He kissed her cheek. "It's settled, then."
She met his gaze. "Yeah, settled. I love you, Kieran."
"I know, Mel. I love you, too."
They legally married two months later, and continued saving to buy a nice house where they could raise their children. Meleina was four months pregnant with their first child when they settled a deal on a nice three- bedroom home with a huge yard. They moved in, and Kieran insisted that Meleina quit her job for her own health as well as the health of their kid.
Meleina leaned contentedly against Kieran's chest while they watched the blazing fire in the stony fireplace. She sighed happily and set her hand on her slightly swollen stomach. The pregnancy was not easy or comfortable, and Meleina knew it was taking a toll on her husband as well. The very foundations of their marriage were being tested as Meleina's moodiness and temper increased daily and both husband and wife had spent many lonely hours questioning their relationship. Kieran had finally told her that they needed time away from each other to ride out their troubles. Meleina had felt terrible for the way she'd been treating her husband and tried to make it up to him by cooking dinner. She wound up burning a fair portion of the kitchen, then turned it completely white trying to put out the fire. Kieran had run in, terrified that she'd been hurt, took one look at the mess, then at his wife's horrified expression, and burst into laughter. Meleina had nearly slapped him, but decided that act alone might forge a permanent rift in their love, so she chose another option and laughed along with him. He took her out to a nice dinner and the two had retired to the fireplace in peace.
Kieran set his hand on hers and smile. "What are we going to name him?"
"Or her," Meleina pointed out. She smiled up at him, then gently kissed his chin. "I'll warn you now, though. Twins run common in my family."
He smiled. "More to love, right?"
She reached a hand up and stroked his cheek. "Right." She smiled softly. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk lately."
Kieran pulled her closer. "Hey, you're pregnant. You deserve to be a jerk." She laughed and poked his knee.
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling." She grinned slyly. "Now, I'm afraid that I'm pregnant and can't move, could you by any chance get me something to eat?" she asked innocently. Kieran laughed and stroked her hair.
"Being pregnant is no excuse, darling," he repeated devilishly. "I'll remember that."
Meleina grinned. "I'm not really hungry, dear. You don't have to get up."
"Good thing, too." He hugged her. "So, what are we going to name him? Or her? Or them, if it comes to that?"
Meleina shrugged. "The names aren't really all that important to me, Kieran. I'm just happy that we're going to be having these kids. I figured that we'd burn that bridge when we came to it."
Kieran smiled. "Good enough for me, love." He kissed her lips gently. "I love you, Meleina."
She gave him a happy look. "I love you more."
"I love you infinity times more."
"I love you infinity times more plus one." They looked at each other, then laughed at the pure childishness of their conversation.
"How the devil do you think we're going to raise kids if we keep acting like them?" Kieran wondered aloud.
"That's what'll make us such great parents- the fact that we actually try to have fun and act like kids."
"Oh, so now it's a good thing to act like a kid?"
Meleina smiled. "Only around the kids, dear."
Kieran met her gaze. "I do love you, Meleina."
She touched his cheek and kissed him. "I know, dear. I love you, too."
Meleina gave birth to twins to her pleasure and Kieran's horror. They were truly Saiyan; they had nasty tempers to go with their tails. They named the baby boy Vrail, in honor of Kieran's father, and the baby girl Reine. When Vrail and Reine were four, Meleina had another baby, a boy whom she named Ronan. That time period was very trying on the entire family, as Meleina nearly died giving birth. It was sheer will that pulled her through, though she spent a week in a coma and a month after awakening in the hospital Two years later she went back to work, insisting that Vrail and Reine were old enough to be left alone during the day with their baby brother. She and Kieran had fiercely argued over this point, finally deciding that they would be fine if left with one of Kieran's friends.
When the twins turned seven, Meleina was promoted to manager of the small bar. She and Kieran went out alone that night to celebrate, Kieran saying fervently that after working there for so long, she deserved a promotion.
Vrail and Reine were nine, Ronan seven, when Meleina thought again of her life as a Saiyan. She had heard rumors that day in the city of three strangers, all of whom had tails. One of the strangers kept hers wrapped around her waist the way Meleina sometimes did, though the stranger had a much longer tail. Meleina made a mental note to tell Kieran about the strangers when she got home. He had taken the day off to stay at home with the kids for father-kid bonding (she laughed at the statement and said that they were already close enough), but he insisted.
She decided to take the afternoon off and head home to spend time with her family, so she sped as fast as she could. She cherished the time she spent with her husband and children, and left work early as often as she could to be with them more.
She walked in the front door, announcing her usual, "Mom's home!" The first thing she noticed wrong was that there was no reply. Normally, even on days when Kieran was home, the kids would run to greet her. Maybe they're outside playing. Either that or Kieran took them to the city and forgot to tell me. She smiled as she looked around the house. That had to be it. As much as she loved him, she knew how forgetful he was when it came to mentioning her when he was taking off with the kids for a little while. She decided to clean up the house a little bit (undoubtedly, her four family members would have it pretty well destroyed by now). She strode into the entertainment center where the children kept their toys, expecting their games to be strewn all over the floor. She opened the door, then stopped dead and screamed, her hands flying to her mouth. She sank slowly to the floor as her vision swam dizzily. Lying on the floor in front of her was her family, husband and three children, all dead. Her husband had a hole through his chest, Vrail and Reine looked badly burned, and Ronan's head was craned at a sickening angle. She scrambled over to them and pulled Kieran into her lap, holding him tightly and sobbing loudly, willing him back to life. "Kieran," she choked. "Kieran!" She clutched him tightly to her chest, hoping that at any moment he would wake up and smile at her. She sat like that for several long hours until the terrible grief gave way to an even more terrible, piercing anger. Whoever did this had to still be on Fhotherite, she felt deep in her heart, and she vowed not to rest until her family's murderer was also dead. She raced outside and felt a deep energy flow through her. Of all the nights.the full moon! It had been many years since she'd even considered transforming, but tonight she didn't hesitate. She turned her gaze to the moon and stared at it, the familiar feelings coursing through her body as she transformed into the powerful Oozaru beast. By the time her transformation was complete, she had lost all sentient thought, her mind and body screaming for revenge.