My Secret- 14. Love
"Mom?"
Weth spoke gently. They've been sitting in the tree branch for hours, and the crater-scarred moon was glowing bright yellow behind the curtain of leaves. At the sound of his voice, his mother looked up at him and she slid her arm across his back protectively.
"What's wrong, Weth? Are you cold?"
"No. I want to ask a question." He looked at her briefly for approval, and then continued. "Where did you go yesterday? After you told me to stay in the woods?"
She nodded understandingly. "I suppose there's no harm in telling now. I went up to that house you were just in."
"Why?"
"To gather information."
He looked at her blankly, the word 'confusion' written all over his face.
"Okay, it went like this. I first went to find him, but when I got to his place, I saw a woman get into the car and speed away. I started to follow her, and she came up to the Sons' house. I decided to stay up in the tree nearby and watch the woman from the kitchen window. The woman was crying and talking at the same time, so I couldn't hear much even with my good ears, but I did catch one word. Her last word before insanity struck her and she began brawling."
"What word was that?"
"Die."
Weth's eyes went wide, huge, gigantic, to finally, enormous. "Die...?" He whispered.
"Yes, die. Then I figured the rest myself. See, I figured if the woman was to die soon, then I can take her place. That's why I was so intent on getting answers, but NOBODY was willing to spill ANY beans!"
"I guess they didn't want to talk about her death. That woman must be important to them."
"You're right. And that's why I had to leave you all alone yesterday. I'm sorry. I've been a bad mother, abandoning you for my own selfish desires."
"No Mom, I would have done the same thing. Nobody should be forgotten, especially after someone gives his word. You did the right thing. Besides, I'm ten already. I can take care of myself in this boring planet."
She smiled. He was so painfully like his father. "Yes, yes you can. I'm very proud of you."
"So, did you ever figure it out?"
"No, but I'm beginning to doubt my hunches. That woman looked more alive than anything else today. If someone was truly dying, they should be getting weaker."
"Maybe humans can hide their weakened body better."
"Son, she's been hanging by her neck for nearly a whole day. Do you really suppose she has that much energy?"
"If she's strong enough to break your bonds." Earlier, his mother had explained everything that happened, even though he thought he could do without such information. What his mother did was her own business. And he felt he had no voice in it.
"Weth, this is not just my business." She said in her motherly voice.
"How is it my business, then?"
"You remember your father, don't you? He was a strong, tall man." Weth's face flashed with memories. "He died when you were barely three. Ever since then, you've been following me around the universe, and I haven't been a good mother, let alone a mother and a father."
"Mom, I already told you. I don't WANT another father."
"Weth, you're a growing boy. Of course you need a father."
"I DON'T!"
"Don't argue with me. I know better. I lived that road before. You don't know how much you're missing." She talked calmly to his angry force. This was what she has always done to deal with his anger. The trick was not to get up there with him.
"I don't care." He pouted. "I'm happy the way I am. I bet I saw more of the space than anyone else in the world did in his or her whole lives. I like living a wanderer, Mom, skipping from planet to planet." He knew this was exactly what his mother didn't believe was true, so it was the one major factor in coming here in the first place. He hated staying put in one place. And that was what this new father-like figure was promising.
"I want to leave. Now." He continue to pout.
"But dear..."
"Then I'll wait for you back home." Without as much as a backward glance, Weth flew towards their space ship. "I'm through with this."
Rye could only sigh as she watched her son's retreating back. If Weth doesn't want a father, I don't want to hurt myself any longer. My heart crumbles little by little everytime I lay my eyes on him. Those memories are so unbelievably painful.
---
Vegeta flew through the navy blue sky, Bulma tight in his arms. There was no time to mess around, for Bulma had insisted that he go straight home and make dinner. The task of cooking was a detestable image, but he figured Bulma didn't have the strength to cook dinner. Oh well, he'll just command the robots to do it. Simple. Like laundry.
Now the bigger problem is, how are they going to explain to Trunks?
"Vegeta, how are we going to explain this to Trunks?" Bulma said, and received a very weird look. "What?"
He shook his head to dismiss whatever was on the tip of his tongue and replied, "I don't know, but whatever you say, you can't mention the part you were hanging on your neck."
She laughed. "I won't." Then, thinking for a moment, "Hey! Who says I'm going to say it?"
"You're always the one with words. Too many, in my opinion."
She smiled. It scared her how they could laugh and smile like that, while just a second ago, she was nearly chocking to death. Yes, she wasn't the only one happy. She can see the laughter in Vegeta's eyes too, but he just keeps it all in, and his seriousness all enveloping it.
"Vegeta, why don't you laugh? Aren't you happy?"
"Just because you're happy doesn't mean you need to laugh. There are other ways to display your happiness. In the old times, we killed because we were happy."
She stared at him with a gaping mouth, and he smirked. "You are too gullible, woman."
She punched him playfully, or at least, he thought she did, and silence fell between them. A silence that lasted no more than five seconds when Bulma spoke up again, this time in a serious tone.
"Vegeta, did you ever love her?"
He took his time answering, or rather, took his time finding the answer. Did he love her? "I don't know. I don't think so. We were too young to love. I always justified it as protecting her." Except once, he dared not add.
"What do you mean, you don't know! How could you not know what love is? It's when two people feel so close to each other, they-"
"I know what it is NOW." She looked at him, apparently trying to comprehend the deeper meaning, and a wide smile spread across her face.
"So why did you have to protect her?"
His gaze left her face. Bulma sensed the hesitation, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook. Wait, was she jealous? No, that couldn't be. I just have the right to know this.
"Bulma, there are some things you don't understand."
She narrowed her eyes. "Vegeta, that's something you tell a toddler. Don't even think it's going to work on me. You WILL tell me."
"Alright. Rye was never supposed to be born. And when she did... well, Frieza vowed that he'll kill her."
"Why?! I can't imagine someone hating me so much that they want me to die as soon as I was born."
"He didn't hate her. He hated her father... because he was suppose to be the father."
"WHAAAT! You mean to tell me that slime can actually love?!"
"The Frieza you knew was the one after he blew up Rye's planet. Before, he was actually a quite compatible ruler. He thought he could have his way with his woman, but Rye's mother refused to bend to his will, and chose another man instead... Rye's father. Rye was actually the princess of her planet. Her parents foresaw that Frieza was retorting to his desperate plan to destroy the whole planet, so they sent her to Planet Vegeta."
"Oh... a princess. So were you two meant to be..."
"Yes, our marriage was planned when we were five. I hated it, so to took out my anger by training more ferociously. They, her father and mine, thought the marriage would benefit them both. The deal was that I was suppose to give her eternal protection and her planet-and her love-would be mine."
"But didn't you say her planet was destroyed?"
"Humph. Their king was already dead, so there was no way we could make another deal. She was an orphan alone on our planet. My father proposed that I continue to keep her safe, because he hated Frieza, too, and he didn't want him having his way."
Bulma was amazed at how calmly Vegeta talked about the past. It was almost like he was retelling a story.
"And once he learned that Rye escaped to our planet, it just added to the growing list of reasons to destroy ours. Luckily, I was spared, and I took Rye with me on that mission he sent me, so she was also spared."
"Won't he have forbid it if he knew?"
"True, but he didn't." Vegeta smirked. "So we were left with no place to go, and submitted to him. Even though we lived in Frieza's ship, she proved her worth and he let her live for a while. Of course, I knew he was planning to kill her once she gave him all he wanted, but he never got the chance because I helped her escape."
"Because Frieza threatened to kill her if she didn't get a project done in time." Bulma stated as she remembered from Rye's story. "Then, we should have given her the tsukemono!" She said in alarm.
"Woman, that's all in the past. It means nothing now."
"She deserves it. You promised your father! You can NEVER break a promise you made to the dead."
"Maybe if it was under a different circumstances, but you have to take her broken promise in the account. She broke her share. Why should I keep mine? Such moral is only accepted in the human society."
More gently, he added, "Besides, would you really wanted me to give my life away to someone other than the one I truly love?"
He passionately pressed his lip onto hers and through their kiss, he told her all she wanted to know about any women of his past. She, on the other hand, felt the bless taking away all the pain she had endured in the last two days, from the diagnosed cancer to this overwhelming new side of Vegeta. And to both of them, this simple yet deep kiss allowed them to pour out their most hidden secrets and made every bad thing in their life and more...
End.
---
I wasn't going to add the footnotes on this chapter, but since I decided I won't be able to finish explaining the clues in time, I had to add my last words here. How did you all like the story? I think I have enough material from this story to write a sequel, but what do you think? I personally am NOT looking forward to it because... just because. I feel that I am through with this story once and for good. I don't think this deserves a sequel...
On the other hand, about the prequel. Rest assured, Chipolata, you DON'T need to read it in order to understand the storyline. I prefer to think of it like the Trunks Special. It's a detailed version of the Past, and the summary is already molded into the story. I'm sorry, but I just can't combine it with this story. I understand it might be too much of a bother, and I'll understand if you don't want to read it, but I hope some people would be interested. ^_^
Important! Do ANY of you still want to know where the clues were? How the mystery got to the point it's in now? I started writing it, and I don't like it. It's hard, yes, but it's also very revealing. There are still some parts of the story I can't map out precisly, so if I write it, I'll be forcing myself to solve every little problem. If it's possible, I'll rather NOT write it. Please?
Lastly, I'm going to be changing my pen name to Rihua. I'll also be putting up a poll in my site. I would appreciate it very much if you can donate a few moments to tell me what story I should be writing after this.
URL:
I thank you wholeheartedly for reading and generously reviewing "My Secret".
"Mom?"
Weth spoke gently. They've been sitting in the tree branch for hours, and the crater-scarred moon was glowing bright yellow behind the curtain of leaves. At the sound of his voice, his mother looked up at him and she slid her arm across his back protectively.
"What's wrong, Weth? Are you cold?"
"No. I want to ask a question." He looked at her briefly for approval, and then continued. "Where did you go yesterday? After you told me to stay in the woods?"
She nodded understandingly. "I suppose there's no harm in telling now. I went up to that house you were just in."
"Why?"
"To gather information."
He looked at her blankly, the word 'confusion' written all over his face.
"Okay, it went like this. I first went to find him, but when I got to his place, I saw a woman get into the car and speed away. I started to follow her, and she came up to the Sons' house. I decided to stay up in the tree nearby and watch the woman from the kitchen window. The woman was crying and talking at the same time, so I couldn't hear much even with my good ears, but I did catch one word. Her last word before insanity struck her and she began brawling."
"What word was that?"
"Die."
Weth's eyes went wide, huge, gigantic, to finally, enormous. "Die...?" He whispered.
"Yes, die. Then I figured the rest myself. See, I figured if the woman was to die soon, then I can take her place. That's why I was so intent on getting answers, but NOBODY was willing to spill ANY beans!"
"I guess they didn't want to talk about her death. That woman must be important to them."
"You're right. And that's why I had to leave you all alone yesterday. I'm sorry. I've been a bad mother, abandoning you for my own selfish desires."
"No Mom, I would have done the same thing. Nobody should be forgotten, especially after someone gives his word. You did the right thing. Besides, I'm ten already. I can take care of myself in this boring planet."
She smiled. He was so painfully like his father. "Yes, yes you can. I'm very proud of you."
"So, did you ever figure it out?"
"No, but I'm beginning to doubt my hunches. That woman looked more alive than anything else today. If someone was truly dying, they should be getting weaker."
"Maybe humans can hide their weakened body better."
"Son, she's been hanging by her neck for nearly a whole day. Do you really suppose she has that much energy?"
"If she's strong enough to break your bonds." Earlier, his mother had explained everything that happened, even though he thought he could do without such information. What his mother did was her own business. And he felt he had no voice in it.
"Weth, this is not just my business." She said in her motherly voice.
"How is it my business, then?"
"You remember your father, don't you? He was a strong, tall man." Weth's face flashed with memories. "He died when you were barely three. Ever since then, you've been following me around the universe, and I haven't been a good mother, let alone a mother and a father."
"Mom, I already told you. I don't WANT another father."
"Weth, you're a growing boy. Of course you need a father."
"I DON'T!"
"Don't argue with me. I know better. I lived that road before. You don't know how much you're missing." She talked calmly to his angry force. This was what she has always done to deal with his anger. The trick was not to get up there with him.
"I don't care." He pouted. "I'm happy the way I am. I bet I saw more of the space than anyone else in the world did in his or her whole lives. I like living a wanderer, Mom, skipping from planet to planet." He knew this was exactly what his mother didn't believe was true, so it was the one major factor in coming here in the first place. He hated staying put in one place. And that was what this new father-like figure was promising.
"I want to leave. Now." He continue to pout.
"But dear..."
"Then I'll wait for you back home." Without as much as a backward glance, Weth flew towards their space ship. "I'm through with this."
Rye could only sigh as she watched her son's retreating back. If Weth doesn't want a father, I don't want to hurt myself any longer. My heart crumbles little by little everytime I lay my eyes on him. Those memories are so unbelievably painful.
---
Vegeta flew through the navy blue sky, Bulma tight in his arms. There was no time to mess around, for Bulma had insisted that he go straight home and make dinner. The task of cooking was a detestable image, but he figured Bulma didn't have the strength to cook dinner. Oh well, he'll just command the robots to do it. Simple. Like laundry.
Now the bigger problem is, how are they going to explain to Trunks?
"Vegeta, how are we going to explain this to Trunks?" Bulma said, and received a very weird look. "What?"
He shook his head to dismiss whatever was on the tip of his tongue and replied, "I don't know, but whatever you say, you can't mention the part you were hanging on your neck."
She laughed. "I won't." Then, thinking for a moment, "Hey! Who says I'm going to say it?"
"You're always the one with words. Too many, in my opinion."
She smiled. It scared her how they could laugh and smile like that, while just a second ago, she was nearly chocking to death. Yes, she wasn't the only one happy. She can see the laughter in Vegeta's eyes too, but he just keeps it all in, and his seriousness all enveloping it.
"Vegeta, why don't you laugh? Aren't you happy?"
"Just because you're happy doesn't mean you need to laugh. There are other ways to display your happiness. In the old times, we killed because we were happy."
She stared at him with a gaping mouth, and he smirked. "You are too gullible, woman."
She punched him playfully, or at least, he thought she did, and silence fell between them. A silence that lasted no more than five seconds when Bulma spoke up again, this time in a serious tone.
"Vegeta, did you ever love her?"
He took his time answering, or rather, took his time finding the answer. Did he love her? "I don't know. I don't think so. We were too young to love. I always justified it as protecting her." Except once, he dared not add.
"What do you mean, you don't know! How could you not know what love is? It's when two people feel so close to each other, they-"
"I know what it is NOW." She looked at him, apparently trying to comprehend the deeper meaning, and a wide smile spread across her face.
"So why did you have to protect her?"
His gaze left her face. Bulma sensed the hesitation, but she wasn't going to let him off the hook. Wait, was she jealous? No, that couldn't be. I just have the right to know this.
"Bulma, there are some things you don't understand."
She narrowed her eyes. "Vegeta, that's something you tell a toddler. Don't even think it's going to work on me. You WILL tell me."
"Alright. Rye was never supposed to be born. And when she did... well, Frieza vowed that he'll kill her."
"Why?! I can't imagine someone hating me so much that they want me to die as soon as I was born."
"He didn't hate her. He hated her father... because he was suppose to be the father."
"WHAAAT! You mean to tell me that slime can actually love?!"
"The Frieza you knew was the one after he blew up Rye's planet. Before, he was actually a quite compatible ruler. He thought he could have his way with his woman, but Rye's mother refused to bend to his will, and chose another man instead... Rye's father. Rye was actually the princess of her planet. Her parents foresaw that Frieza was retorting to his desperate plan to destroy the whole planet, so they sent her to Planet Vegeta."
"Oh... a princess. So were you two meant to be..."
"Yes, our marriage was planned when we were five. I hated it, so to took out my anger by training more ferociously. They, her father and mine, thought the marriage would benefit them both. The deal was that I was suppose to give her eternal protection and her planet-and her love-would be mine."
"But didn't you say her planet was destroyed?"
"Humph. Their king was already dead, so there was no way we could make another deal. She was an orphan alone on our planet. My father proposed that I continue to keep her safe, because he hated Frieza, too, and he didn't want him having his way."
Bulma was amazed at how calmly Vegeta talked about the past. It was almost like he was retelling a story.
"And once he learned that Rye escaped to our planet, it just added to the growing list of reasons to destroy ours. Luckily, I was spared, and I took Rye with me on that mission he sent me, so she was also spared."
"Won't he have forbid it if he knew?"
"True, but he didn't." Vegeta smirked. "So we were left with no place to go, and submitted to him. Even though we lived in Frieza's ship, she proved her worth and he let her live for a while. Of course, I knew he was planning to kill her once she gave him all he wanted, but he never got the chance because I helped her escape."
"Because Frieza threatened to kill her if she didn't get a project done in time." Bulma stated as she remembered from Rye's story. "Then, we should have given her the tsukemono!" She said in alarm.
"Woman, that's all in the past. It means nothing now."
"She deserves it. You promised your father! You can NEVER break a promise you made to the dead."
"Maybe if it was under a different circumstances, but you have to take her broken promise in the account. She broke her share. Why should I keep mine? Such moral is only accepted in the human society."
More gently, he added, "Besides, would you really wanted me to give my life away to someone other than the one I truly love?"
He passionately pressed his lip onto hers and through their kiss, he told her all she wanted to know about any women of his past. She, on the other hand, felt the bless taking away all the pain she had endured in the last two days, from the diagnosed cancer to this overwhelming new side of Vegeta. And to both of them, this simple yet deep kiss allowed them to pour out their most hidden secrets and made every bad thing in their life and more...
End.
---
I wasn't going to add the footnotes on this chapter, but since I decided I won't be able to finish explaining the clues in time, I had to add my last words here. How did you all like the story? I think I have enough material from this story to write a sequel, but what do you think? I personally am NOT looking forward to it because... just because. I feel that I am through with this story once and for good. I don't think this deserves a sequel...
On the other hand, about the prequel. Rest assured, Chipolata, you DON'T need to read it in order to understand the storyline. I prefer to think of it like the Trunks Special. It's a detailed version of the Past, and the summary is already molded into the story. I'm sorry, but I just can't combine it with this story. I understand it might be too much of a bother, and I'll understand if you don't want to read it, but I hope some people would be interested. ^_^
Important! Do ANY of you still want to know where the clues were? How the mystery got to the point it's in now? I started writing it, and I don't like it. It's hard, yes, but it's also very revealing. There are still some parts of the story I can't map out precisly, so if I write it, I'll be forcing myself to solve every little problem. If it's possible, I'll rather NOT write it. Please?
Lastly, I'm going to be changing my pen name to Rihua. I'll also be putting up a poll in my site. I would appreciate it very much if you can donate a few moments to tell me what story I should be writing after this.
URL:
I thank you wholeheartedly for reading and generously reviewing "My Secret".
