A/N: Sorry guys, for this taking so long. I just got back from the hospital
today. My daddy is in there, and in misery. Please, no matter your beliefs,
pray for him! Thanks so much!
Dende's Love ****************** Chapter Eight: Memories ******************
Linden's brow was furrowed, and a sweatdrop was making a path down her temple. As she and Piccolo met once again on a mental battleground, she, as she had been since the training session had started, tried to relax her body in order to strengthen her mind.
Piccolo, on the other hand, looked about as calm as a cucumber. He smirked, his eyes closed, and concentrating on his mentality to go at her.
*You are very strong. It's good that we don't have to start at the beginning,* he said telepathically on their mind-ground.
Linden grinned, *Thank you. Since you don't seem the type to dole out compliments unless you mean them, I'll feel honoured to have impressed you even that little bit. Also thank you for helping me.*
Piccolo inclined his head to her, an acknowledgment that he heard her. At the same time, he went at her.
*Hey!* she yelped, and dogded the power he threw at her.
Dende watched as the two sat there, still as could be, but with the sweat pouring off of them. Well, at least the sweat pouring off of Linden.
He sighed, and let his mind wander. 'Please let this work, Guru. I know your spirit still lives,' he thought.
--------------------------------hours later--------------------------------- --
Linden exited the shower, and powered up slightly to dry her skin. Her hair, however, was thick enough that unless she powered up all the way, it would remain damp.
She tied a leather thong around the hair at her nape, and let the rest hang loose down her backside. She went to her pack, and took out her holo-pics.
She saw the one with Manela, when they had just celebrated their shared birthdays. Then, there was the one of herself sandwiched between her mother and father, along with her brother hanging on her leg. When she got to the last set, she allowed a tear to slowly trail down her cheek.
~*Loumil!* she called, a large smile on her face. *What are you doing here?*
*Well........* he hesitated. He looked delectable to her. His hair, as long as hers, was a golden blonde, and his eyes were usually aqua, but sometimes reverted to green. He was always happy. Today though, his eyes were pink.
*Spit it out, koneko.* she lightly scolded.
Loumil grinned at the nickname, and looked up shyly from beneath black lashes. *Would you-um- what I mean to ask is-* he stopped, and took a breath to calm himself. *Willyougototheannualdancewithme?* he asked at the speed of light.
Linden's eyes went bright, and totally pink. She slowly walked closer to him, placed a hand on his cheek, got on her tip-toes and kissed him lightly on the lips, his hand at her waist by this time.
At that moment, a flash and whirring sound came from the side. They both jerked their faces towards the sound, and then another flash accompanied by the whirring sound. Manela was laughing loudly, both with actual sound and telepathically.
*I wondered when you two were going to get together. There was word of a betrothal earlier this year. I guess they didn't want you both to know about it, but........ this is perfect!* she ended, practically jumping up and down by this time.
Loumil turned towards Linden and she towards him. *Betrothed?* they asked in unison. Then they grinned, and at the same time their lips met in a kiss a bit less innocent than the first one. At the third flash and whir, Linden squealed and started chasing Manela around in circles, Loumil watching in amusement.
*I better get copies of those!* Linden shouted into her friend's mind.
Manela halted, causing Linden to just barely stop in time, and replied, *Of course you're getting copies!*
The rest of that day passed in a blur for Linden......~
She smiled sadly at the tri-framed holo-pics from that night. The innocent kiss, the shocked suprise, and the not-so-innocent were all there, and she put the frame away carefully.
"What are you looking at?" came a voice that she didn't recognize. When Linden whipped around, she saw a petite girl with black hair, and beautiful eyes.... for a human.
*Who are you?* asked Linden, feeling slightly wary. 'This human has some power in her,' she thought to herself.
The girl grinned, "I'm Videl, Gohan's girlfriend." As she held out her left hand to shake, Linden noticed a gold bracelet, with a charm in the shape of a dragon dangling from it.
Linden shook her hand, and put the pictures away. *They are.... a part of my past. Holo-pics of my friends and family.*
Videl gave her an understanding look. "I'm sorry. Gohan told me everything."
Linden looked sad for but a moment before she gave a mischeivous smile, and said, *So.... what is he really like?*
Videl grinned back, blushing slightly, "Well, he's sweet. Really cares about me....... and that's a nice feeling. I mean, he pays attention! We're in love..... at least, I'm in love with him........ I know he loves me.....," she paused, frowning slightly, "but is he 'in' love with me?" She paused again to mull over that little tidbit of information.
Linden shook her head and replied, *I have seen his face, his eyes, when he talks about you. He is so gone on you, it's not even funny!*
Videl looked up, and her eyes brightened, "You're sure?" she asked hopefully.
Linden nodded, a grin widening her features.
"So, might I be able to get a looksie at those pictures you had?" Videl asked suddenly, causing Linden to pale, and then flush. "Or.... if you'd rather not....."
*No,* Linden replied, *you may see them.* She reached into her bag, and scooted so that she was sitting next to Videl.
*These are my parents, that's me when I was.....* she paused to calculate, *around 10 Earth years old. That's my little brother, when he was around, umm, 4 Earth years.*
She went to the next photo. *This is myself, and my best friend in the universe, Manela. She was like my twin. We were 13 Earth years here, celebrating our birthdays. We were born on the same day*
Linden took a deep breath, and went to the tri-framed. *This is right before the uprise of the rogues, with Doquenis as their leader. This is his twin brother, Loumil. He had just asked me to the annual dance, and then we found out that the King, Queen, and our families, had been planning on having us betrothed. Manela managed to catch us off guard the first two times. The third.... well, I expected it of her. And in truth, I'm glad I have these now.*
Videl heard the raw emotion buried inside of Linden. She said, "Those are beautiful pictures. I'm sorry about what happened."
Linden looked back at Videl, and gave her a nod of thanks, with a small smile.
Videl decided to change the subject. "So," she started with a wide grin spreading over her features, "what exactly IS between you and Dende?"
Linden blushed prettily, and grinned back, "Well........."
A/N: I'm leaving it there! Again, sorry for the wait, but I went back to the hospital with daddy, and stayed for the rest of the time. He's home again now, although still miserable. Please do keep praying! Thanks a bunch!
Dende's Love ****************** Chapter Eight: Memories ******************
Linden's brow was furrowed, and a sweatdrop was making a path down her temple. As she and Piccolo met once again on a mental battleground, she, as she had been since the training session had started, tried to relax her body in order to strengthen her mind.
Piccolo, on the other hand, looked about as calm as a cucumber. He smirked, his eyes closed, and concentrating on his mentality to go at her.
*You are very strong. It's good that we don't have to start at the beginning,* he said telepathically on their mind-ground.
Linden grinned, *Thank you. Since you don't seem the type to dole out compliments unless you mean them, I'll feel honoured to have impressed you even that little bit. Also thank you for helping me.*
Piccolo inclined his head to her, an acknowledgment that he heard her. At the same time, he went at her.
*Hey!* she yelped, and dogded the power he threw at her.
Dende watched as the two sat there, still as could be, but with the sweat pouring off of them. Well, at least the sweat pouring off of Linden.
He sighed, and let his mind wander. 'Please let this work, Guru. I know your spirit still lives,' he thought.
--------------------------------hours later--------------------------------- --
Linden exited the shower, and powered up slightly to dry her skin. Her hair, however, was thick enough that unless she powered up all the way, it would remain damp.
She tied a leather thong around the hair at her nape, and let the rest hang loose down her backside. She went to her pack, and took out her holo-pics.
She saw the one with Manela, when they had just celebrated their shared birthdays. Then, there was the one of herself sandwiched between her mother and father, along with her brother hanging on her leg. When she got to the last set, she allowed a tear to slowly trail down her cheek.
~*Loumil!* she called, a large smile on her face. *What are you doing here?*
*Well........* he hesitated. He looked delectable to her. His hair, as long as hers, was a golden blonde, and his eyes were usually aqua, but sometimes reverted to green. He was always happy. Today though, his eyes were pink.
*Spit it out, koneko.* she lightly scolded.
Loumil grinned at the nickname, and looked up shyly from beneath black lashes. *Would you-um- what I mean to ask is-* he stopped, and took a breath to calm himself. *Willyougototheannualdancewithme?* he asked at the speed of light.
Linden's eyes went bright, and totally pink. She slowly walked closer to him, placed a hand on his cheek, got on her tip-toes and kissed him lightly on the lips, his hand at her waist by this time.
At that moment, a flash and whirring sound came from the side. They both jerked their faces towards the sound, and then another flash accompanied by the whirring sound. Manela was laughing loudly, both with actual sound and telepathically.
*I wondered when you two were going to get together. There was word of a betrothal earlier this year. I guess they didn't want you both to know about it, but........ this is perfect!* she ended, practically jumping up and down by this time.
Loumil turned towards Linden and she towards him. *Betrothed?* they asked in unison. Then they grinned, and at the same time their lips met in a kiss a bit less innocent than the first one. At the third flash and whir, Linden squealed and started chasing Manela around in circles, Loumil watching in amusement.
*I better get copies of those!* Linden shouted into her friend's mind.
Manela halted, causing Linden to just barely stop in time, and replied, *Of course you're getting copies!*
The rest of that day passed in a blur for Linden......~
She smiled sadly at the tri-framed holo-pics from that night. The innocent kiss, the shocked suprise, and the not-so-innocent were all there, and she put the frame away carefully.
"What are you looking at?" came a voice that she didn't recognize. When Linden whipped around, she saw a petite girl with black hair, and beautiful eyes.... for a human.
*Who are you?* asked Linden, feeling slightly wary. 'This human has some power in her,' she thought to herself.
The girl grinned, "I'm Videl, Gohan's girlfriend." As she held out her left hand to shake, Linden noticed a gold bracelet, with a charm in the shape of a dragon dangling from it.
Linden shook her hand, and put the pictures away. *They are.... a part of my past. Holo-pics of my friends and family.*
Videl gave her an understanding look. "I'm sorry. Gohan told me everything."
Linden looked sad for but a moment before she gave a mischeivous smile, and said, *So.... what is he really like?*
Videl grinned back, blushing slightly, "Well, he's sweet. Really cares about me....... and that's a nice feeling. I mean, he pays attention! We're in love..... at least, I'm in love with him........ I know he loves me.....," she paused, frowning slightly, "but is he 'in' love with me?" She paused again to mull over that little tidbit of information.
Linden shook her head and replied, *I have seen his face, his eyes, when he talks about you. He is so gone on you, it's not even funny!*
Videl looked up, and her eyes brightened, "You're sure?" she asked hopefully.
Linden nodded, a grin widening her features.
"So, might I be able to get a looksie at those pictures you had?" Videl asked suddenly, causing Linden to pale, and then flush. "Or.... if you'd rather not....."
*No,* Linden replied, *you may see them.* She reached into her bag, and scooted so that she was sitting next to Videl.
*These are my parents, that's me when I was.....* she paused to calculate, *around 10 Earth years old. That's my little brother, when he was around, umm, 4 Earth years.*
She went to the next photo. *This is myself, and my best friend in the universe, Manela. She was like my twin. We were 13 Earth years here, celebrating our birthdays. We were born on the same day*
Linden took a deep breath, and went to the tri-framed. *This is right before the uprise of the rogues, with Doquenis as their leader. This is his twin brother, Loumil. He had just asked me to the annual dance, and then we found out that the King, Queen, and our families, had been planning on having us betrothed. Manela managed to catch us off guard the first two times. The third.... well, I expected it of her. And in truth, I'm glad I have these now.*
Videl heard the raw emotion buried inside of Linden. She said, "Those are beautiful pictures. I'm sorry about what happened."
Linden looked back at Videl, and gave her a nod of thanks, with a small smile.
Videl decided to change the subject. "So," she started with a wide grin spreading over her features, "what exactly IS between you and Dende?"
Linden blushed prettily, and grinned back, "Well........."
A/N: I'm leaving it there! Again, sorry for the wait, but I went back to the hospital with daddy, and stayed for the rest of the time. He's home again now, although still miserable. Please do keep praying! Thanks a bunch!