1 The Song of an Angel
By ssj Kinara
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the song lyrics in this chapter. The song is from the television show Outlaw Star. I'm not sure who owns it but the title is "Hiru No Tsuki" and it's not mine. The only thing I do own is my character, the injured girl, whose name I have not yet revealed!
Recap: Future Trunks has brought home a girl, the only survivor of an Android attack on a city nearby.
Sorry that it took so long! I thought I'd have this posted a day or two ago!
Thanks to those people who reviewed: Vashwoman (I know who you are! =P), Demon Saiyan (Sorry, it's not Pan (), and BC (I have a #1 fan! () Thanks all!
* * * * * * * * *
Chapter Two: The Silent Houseguest
Trunks glanced around the entrance hall, still supporting the girl. His mother was nowhere to be seen and his companion was injured. Bulma wasn't a doctor by education, but in his day and age, everyone knew at least something about nursing.
Knowing that she needed to rest, he helped the girl to limp into the kitchen. "You can sit here," he said, easing her into one of the chairs. "I'll find my mom and she'll call the doctor. We'll get this all sorted out."
He started to leave, then stopped in the doorway and dared one more look at the girl. She sat still with her hands folded in her lap, not letting her right foot touch the floor, staring downward. Just looking at the forlorn survivor made Trunks feel sad.
Tearing away his eyes, he left to find Bulma.
"Mom?" he called, checking the hall. "I know you're home." He poked his head in the den. "Where are you?"
"I'm coming, Trunks hold your horses." His mother's voice came from behind him, from the stairs. Trunks turned and peeped up the stairway as Bulma nearly ran into him. "Oh, there you are, Trunks," she sighed. "You're home."
Suddenly, she slapped him across the back of the head. "Don't you ever run off without telling me again! You nearly gave me a heart attack, and I don't care what that man said! Oh, you're making me old—"
"Mom!" said Trunks above his mother's ranting, rubbing his head. It was obvious by his voice that he'd said it several times. "There was a girl in the city."
"A girl?" responded Bulma, finally listening.
"Yeah. I think she's still kind of traumatized from last night because she hasn't said a word. But she's injured and you need to look at it and call the doctor."
"Way ahead of you, Trunks. Now let's go see this silent wonder." She started to walk towards the den.
"Er, Mom? She's in the kitchen,"
"Oh...right."
Trunks rolled his eyes and she changed directions, he at her heels.
Bulma pushed open the door to reveal the girl with her face in her hands, shaking from the fresh tears she was crying. As soon as she heard Bulma step into the room, though, she straitened up and wiped her eyes with the back of her dirty hand.
"Hi," said Bulma, pretending she hadn't seen. "I'm Trunks' mom, Bulma. He told me that you're hurt. Could you show me where, dear?"
Silently, she indicated her swollen ankle. The older woman kneeled to inspect it, but was careful not to touch it.
"Can you move it?" she asked.
Seeming doubtful, she slowly lifted her leg and tried to point her toes toward the ceiling, but instead let out a yelp and bit back more tears.
"Okay, it's okay. Don't try it if you can't." Bulma stood. "Well, from what I can tell, it could be anything from something torn to a broken bone. Trunks, you get a pillow for her foot to rest on and I'll call Dr. Strouss for an appointment." She left the room briskly.
Trunks quickly grabbed a pillow from the couch in the den and walked back into the kitchen. She lifted her foot so he could place the cushion under it.
"Comfy?" he asked, lacking anything better to say.
She didn't answer, just stared at her hands in her lap.
Uncomfortable in the silence, he tried again to get her to talk. "So, you never told us your name. What is it?"
She didn't answer.
"Um, hello? You're not deaf are you?"
He could just make out her head shaking "no."
"Okay, well you aren't scared of me, are you?"
No response.
"You don't have to be afraid of us." He forced a smile. "We don't bite."
He could tell he wasn't doing any good. She didn't want to talk and she didn't seem to be paying much attention to him. Not to mention that she looked like she was going to cry again. Trunks decided to let it drop. She'd been through a lot.
Just then Bulma came back in, fuming. "I don't believe it! The doctor has no idea when his next opening will be, he's so far backed up! How can that even be so? There's not too many people left, courtesy of the Androids." She took a deep breath and calmed herself. To the girl she said, "I guess you'll be staying with us for a while. I'll get some clothes and things that you can wear and all the other stuff that you'll need. We'll fix up a guestroom for you before you go to sleep.
"But in the meantime, a bath is in order. C'mon, lean on me and we'll get you up the stairs. Which reminds me, you'll need a crutch..."
Bulma kept on talking weather or not anyone was listening. Without a word the girl put her arm around Bulma's shoulder and they limped out of the kitchen. Trunks followed, watching, making sure they would make it. The pair was actually moving rather well, considering, and was only slowed by the stairs.
Trunks was watching from the bottom. Just before the girl was out of sight, she glanced over her shoulder for one more look at her lavender-haired rescuer.
"Well," he said, "at least she didn't completely ignore me."
* * * * * *
Upstairs, Bulma was still talking as she was helping the girl get ready, who was sitting on the toilet and peeling off what was left of her clothing.
"It's amazing that you survived, really. Those Androids killing everyone and destroying everything... Darn those two! I'll bet there's not a soul anywhere who'd care about them."
Bulma put some shampoo, conditioner, and soap within her reach from the tub. She also put some clean clothes and a new hairbrush and toothbrush on the counter. Then she turned on the water to the right temperature and helped the girl into the bathtub. After showing her how to operate the knobs, she left to give her some privacy.
Downstairs, she found Trunks reading an old book of hers, Dragonriders of Pern. He seemed to always love looking at his mom's pre-android things, especially things that were his father's. He seemed to think there was hope in these things from the past.
Trunks looked up when she came in. "How is she?"
Bulma sighed as she sat in the old loveseat. "Oh, she'll be just fine as soon as she starts talking." She gazed at her son thoughtfully.
"What?"
"I'm just thinking. Trunks, I don't want you making a move on her."
"What?!" he said, taken back by the request.
"I mean it Trunks! She's been through enough already and I don't want you to make it worse for her."
"Mom, I know. I won't." He grinned slyly. "Or I'll try. I dunno, I'm a real magnet when it comes to women."
Bulma chuckled. "Oh, yeah. You're your father's son, all right."
* * * * * *
Twenty minutes later, as Trunks was finally eating his breakfast, Bulma went upstairs to get the girl a crutch and help her out of the tub, and Trunks was left with his thoughts again. Picking at his eggs, he wondered what his visitor had been like before the attack. Had she been talkative and popular or a quiet loner? How many close friends did she have? Had she gotten along with her family? Did she have a boyfriend?
Despite Bulma's warning, he couldn't help but to linger on this last question. Sure, she was covered in dirt and she hadn't said a word to him, but there was something in her crystal eyes and meek demeanor that made her seem like a person he would want to really know.
Through his daydream he heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to look.
Bulma was leading the girl down, holding her left arm as she used the crutch on her right side. They reached the bottom of the stairs and the girl looked at Trunks again.
She was completely changed. In place of dirt and blood were soft-looking skin and a few Band-Aids. Her hair was clean, sleek, and brown in color. Her face was sweet and soft despite her concentration with the crutch. She was wearing and older green shirt and jeans that belonged to Bulma.
Trunks remembered hearing stories of beings who were pure in heart and beautiful. They were called angels and seemed to glow in beauty. This girl reminded him of these angels.
Trunks realized that his mouth was hanging open and shut it quickly.
Bulma was talking to the girl. "I'm going to make up some lunch, but, you haven't even eaten breakfast yet, have you? Well, then let's call it a late brunch. You must be starving so I won't be too long. Is that okay, dear?"
The girl nodded her head slightly.
"So she's still not talking," Trunks thought to himself.
The girl seated herself in the closest chair, the one next to Trunks, as Bulma hurried into the kitchen to heat up some pancakes.
Trunks was still staring at the girl as he took another bite of his food. "What a transformation!" he was thinking. "From a dirty, beat-up orphan to a beautiful, glowing angel. Then again, she is still an orphan and she had to be beautiful under all that dirt." He looked a bit closer. "She's not even wearing any of Mom's makeup! Wow..."
The girl finally looked up at him, giving him a look asking what she was looking at.
"Er...sorry," he said, blushing and turning back to his now cold eggs.
Soon Bulma came out of the kitchen holding a plate of food. "It's scrambled eggs, pancakes with syrup, buttered toast, sausage and strawberries," she said, placing the meal in front of her.
The girl smiled a weak, half-smile of gratitude and Bulma took her seat across from her. The girl picked up her fork and looked at her meal. Trunks noticed her lip quiver in the slightest way, and then began to poke at her food.
Trunks, finished, cleaned up his own breakfast and put the dishes in the sink. Sitting down again, he saw that she was still not eating the food in front of her.
At last, Bulma spoke. "Okay, I know that you must be hungry; you haven't eaten since last night. I know you might not feel like you have an appetite right now, but I refuse to let you starve yourself to death and I am not going to force-feed you. So, please, eat if for nothing else then for my sanity."
"You'd better do what she says," added the half-Saiya-jin. You don't want to see her when she's really mad."
"Thank you, Trunks," said Bulma, irritated.
After this scene, the girl simply shook her head and smiled a bit. She picked at her eggs, then shoveled some onto her fork. She put the little bit of food in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
Satisfied, Bulma stood to do the dishes as the girl ate a bit more
* * * * * *
The rest of the day went on similarly. At each of the next two meals, the girl said not a word, and after some coaxing, ate little. Between meals the girl sat in the den with a book Bulma had given her. Trunks also sat in the room with his book, but spent most of his time stealing looks at his silent visitor. He noticed that she didn't seem to be paying attention to the book in her lap. Her eyes would glaze over and she wouldn't turn the page for what seemed to be hours.
Eventually, night fell. Bulma escorted the girl to her room and loaned her a nightdress.
Trunks had begged his mom to allow him to finish the chapter, and was finally headed upstairs to his bedroom after both women were in bed. He sneaked past the girl's door quietly, not to wake her, and slipped into his room. He changed into his sleeping attire and crawled into his own bed, hoping for old dreams uninterrupted by the evil Androids. He closed his eyes and cuddled into his pillow.
Then he sat up again. Teeth. He'd forgotten to brush his teeth.
Again he rose and crept into the hall. He was passing the girl's room when he heard a noise. Cautiously, he leaned up against the door, ear-to-wood, and listened. She was crying again. How many tears did this girl have?
He started to move away from the door to give her privacy, when he heard something else. It was a voice coming from the room. No, it was her voice, the girl's! Her voice was soft and lovely and yet broken between sobs. She was singing herself a lullaby.
"I don't know
What words I can say.
The wind has a way
To talk to me.
Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby.
I pray for reply.
I'm ready.
Quiet day calms me.
Oh, serenity,
Someone please tell me
Oh, mmm,
What is it they say?
Maybe I will know one day.
I don't know
What words I can say.
The wind has a way
To talk to me.
Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby.
I pray for reply.
I'm ready."
By this point, Trunks was about ready to cry himself. Her song was so beautiful and sincere, even with the tears.
Trunks was reminded of the woman in the shelter humming to her baby. Suddenly, his mind was filled with a vision of the girl hugging her own mother, who was cradling her in her arms. Behind them the fireworks of the Androids' destruction filled the scene, yet even over the noise he could hear the woman singing this lullaby.
He shook away the image, forcing back tears.
Slowly, silently, he backed away from her room and sneaked back into his room, closing the door gently
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Hooray! I finally finished! I truly didn't think it would take this long! Well, now that this chapter's done, please review and let me know what you think and how I can improve! Thanks again!
By ssj Kinara
Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the song lyrics in this chapter. The song is from the television show Outlaw Star. I'm not sure who owns it but the title is "Hiru No Tsuki" and it's not mine. The only thing I do own is my character, the injured girl, whose name I have not yet revealed!
Recap: Future Trunks has brought home a girl, the only survivor of an Android attack on a city nearby.
Sorry that it took so long! I thought I'd have this posted a day or two ago!
Thanks to those people who reviewed: Vashwoman (I know who you are! =P), Demon Saiyan (Sorry, it's not Pan (), and BC (I have a #1 fan! () Thanks all!
* * * * * * * * *
Chapter Two: The Silent Houseguest
Trunks glanced around the entrance hall, still supporting the girl. His mother was nowhere to be seen and his companion was injured. Bulma wasn't a doctor by education, but in his day and age, everyone knew at least something about nursing.
Knowing that she needed to rest, he helped the girl to limp into the kitchen. "You can sit here," he said, easing her into one of the chairs. "I'll find my mom and she'll call the doctor. We'll get this all sorted out."
He started to leave, then stopped in the doorway and dared one more look at the girl. She sat still with her hands folded in her lap, not letting her right foot touch the floor, staring downward. Just looking at the forlorn survivor made Trunks feel sad.
Tearing away his eyes, he left to find Bulma.
"Mom?" he called, checking the hall. "I know you're home." He poked his head in the den. "Where are you?"
"I'm coming, Trunks hold your horses." His mother's voice came from behind him, from the stairs. Trunks turned and peeped up the stairway as Bulma nearly ran into him. "Oh, there you are, Trunks," she sighed. "You're home."
Suddenly, she slapped him across the back of the head. "Don't you ever run off without telling me again! You nearly gave me a heart attack, and I don't care what that man said! Oh, you're making me old—"
"Mom!" said Trunks above his mother's ranting, rubbing his head. It was obvious by his voice that he'd said it several times. "There was a girl in the city."
"A girl?" responded Bulma, finally listening.
"Yeah. I think she's still kind of traumatized from last night because she hasn't said a word. But she's injured and you need to look at it and call the doctor."
"Way ahead of you, Trunks. Now let's go see this silent wonder." She started to walk towards the den.
"Er, Mom? She's in the kitchen,"
"Oh...right."
Trunks rolled his eyes and she changed directions, he at her heels.
Bulma pushed open the door to reveal the girl with her face in her hands, shaking from the fresh tears she was crying. As soon as she heard Bulma step into the room, though, she straitened up and wiped her eyes with the back of her dirty hand.
"Hi," said Bulma, pretending she hadn't seen. "I'm Trunks' mom, Bulma. He told me that you're hurt. Could you show me where, dear?"
Silently, she indicated her swollen ankle. The older woman kneeled to inspect it, but was careful not to touch it.
"Can you move it?" she asked.
Seeming doubtful, she slowly lifted her leg and tried to point her toes toward the ceiling, but instead let out a yelp and bit back more tears.
"Okay, it's okay. Don't try it if you can't." Bulma stood. "Well, from what I can tell, it could be anything from something torn to a broken bone. Trunks, you get a pillow for her foot to rest on and I'll call Dr. Strouss for an appointment." She left the room briskly.
Trunks quickly grabbed a pillow from the couch in the den and walked back into the kitchen. She lifted her foot so he could place the cushion under it.
"Comfy?" he asked, lacking anything better to say.
She didn't answer, just stared at her hands in her lap.
Uncomfortable in the silence, he tried again to get her to talk. "So, you never told us your name. What is it?"
She didn't answer.
"Um, hello? You're not deaf are you?"
He could just make out her head shaking "no."
"Okay, well you aren't scared of me, are you?"
No response.
"You don't have to be afraid of us." He forced a smile. "We don't bite."
He could tell he wasn't doing any good. She didn't want to talk and she didn't seem to be paying much attention to him. Not to mention that she looked like she was going to cry again. Trunks decided to let it drop. She'd been through a lot.
Just then Bulma came back in, fuming. "I don't believe it! The doctor has no idea when his next opening will be, he's so far backed up! How can that even be so? There's not too many people left, courtesy of the Androids." She took a deep breath and calmed herself. To the girl she said, "I guess you'll be staying with us for a while. I'll get some clothes and things that you can wear and all the other stuff that you'll need. We'll fix up a guestroom for you before you go to sleep.
"But in the meantime, a bath is in order. C'mon, lean on me and we'll get you up the stairs. Which reminds me, you'll need a crutch..."
Bulma kept on talking weather or not anyone was listening. Without a word the girl put her arm around Bulma's shoulder and they limped out of the kitchen. Trunks followed, watching, making sure they would make it. The pair was actually moving rather well, considering, and was only slowed by the stairs.
Trunks was watching from the bottom. Just before the girl was out of sight, she glanced over her shoulder for one more look at her lavender-haired rescuer.
"Well," he said, "at least she didn't completely ignore me."
* * * * * *
Upstairs, Bulma was still talking as she was helping the girl get ready, who was sitting on the toilet and peeling off what was left of her clothing.
"It's amazing that you survived, really. Those Androids killing everyone and destroying everything... Darn those two! I'll bet there's not a soul anywhere who'd care about them."
Bulma put some shampoo, conditioner, and soap within her reach from the tub. She also put some clean clothes and a new hairbrush and toothbrush on the counter. Then she turned on the water to the right temperature and helped the girl into the bathtub. After showing her how to operate the knobs, she left to give her some privacy.
Downstairs, she found Trunks reading an old book of hers, Dragonriders of Pern. He seemed to always love looking at his mom's pre-android things, especially things that were his father's. He seemed to think there was hope in these things from the past.
Trunks looked up when she came in. "How is she?"
Bulma sighed as she sat in the old loveseat. "Oh, she'll be just fine as soon as she starts talking." She gazed at her son thoughtfully.
"What?"
"I'm just thinking. Trunks, I don't want you making a move on her."
"What?!" he said, taken back by the request.
"I mean it Trunks! She's been through enough already and I don't want you to make it worse for her."
"Mom, I know. I won't." He grinned slyly. "Or I'll try. I dunno, I'm a real magnet when it comes to women."
Bulma chuckled. "Oh, yeah. You're your father's son, all right."
* * * * * *
Twenty minutes later, as Trunks was finally eating his breakfast, Bulma went upstairs to get the girl a crutch and help her out of the tub, and Trunks was left with his thoughts again. Picking at his eggs, he wondered what his visitor had been like before the attack. Had she been talkative and popular or a quiet loner? How many close friends did she have? Had she gotten along with her family? Did she have a boyfriend?
Despite Bulma's warning, he couldn't help but to linger on this last question. Sure, she was covered in dirt and she hadn't said a word to him, but there was something in her crystal eyes and meek demeanor that made her seem like a person he would want to really know.
Through his daydream he heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to look.
Bulma was leading the girl down, holding her left arm as she used the crutch on her right side. They reached the bottom of the stairs and the girl looked at Trunks again.
She was completely changed. In place of dirt and blood were soft-looking skin and a few Band-Aids. Her hair was clean, sleek, and brown in color. Her face was sweet and soft despite her concentration with the crutch. She was wearing and older green shirt and jeans that belonged to Bulma.
Trunks remembered hearing stories of beings who were pure in heart and beautiful. They were called angels and seemed to glow in beauty. This girl reminded him of these angels.
Trunks realized that his mouth was hanging open and shut it quickly.
Bulma was talking to the girl. "I'm going to make up some lunch, but, you haven't even eaten breakfast yet, have you? Well, then let's call it a late brunch. You must be starving so I won't be too long. Is that okay, dear?"
The girl nodded her head slightly.
"So she's still not talking," Trunks thought to himself.
The girl seated herself in the closest chair, the one next to Trunks, as Bulma hurried into the kitchen to heat up some pancakes.
Trunks was still staring at the girl as he took another bite of his food. "What a transformation!" he was thinking. "From a dirty, beat-up orphan to a beautiful, glowing angel. Then again, she is still an orphan and she had to be beautiful under all that dirt." He looked a bit closer. "She's not even wearing any of Mom's makeup! Wow..."
The girl finally looked up at him, giving him a look asking what she was looking at.
"Er...sorry," he said, blushing and turning back to his now cold eggs.
Soon Bulma came out of the kitchen holding a plate of food. "It's scrambled eggs, pancakes with syrup, buttered toast, sausage and strawberries," she said, placing the meal in front of her.
The girl smiled a weak, half-smile of gratitude and Bulma took her seat across from her. The girl picked up her fork and looked at her meal. Trunks noticed her lip quiver in the slightest way, and then began to poke at her food.
Trunks, finished, cleaned up his own breakfast and put the dishes in the sink. Sitting down again, he saw that she was still not eating the food in front of her.
At last, Bulma spoke. "Okay, I know that you must be hungry; you haven't eaten since last night. I know you might not feel like you have an appetite right now, but I refuse to let you starve yourself to death and I am not going to force-feed you. So, please, eat if for nothing else then for my sanity."
"You'd better do what she says," added the half-Saiya-jin. You don't want to see her when she's really mad."
"Thank you, Trunks," said Bulma, irritated.
After this scene, the girl simply shook her head and smiled a bit. She picked at her eggs, then shoveled some onto her fork. She put the little bit of food in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
Satisfied, Bulma stood to do the dishes as the girl ate a bit more
* * * * * *
The rest of the day went on similarly. At each of the next two meals, the girl said not a word, and after some coaxing, ate little. Between meals the girl sat in the den with a book Bulma had given her. Trunks also sat in the room with his book, but spent most of his time stealing looks at his silent visitor. He noticed that she didn't seem to be paying attention to the book in her lap. Her eyes would glaze over and she wouldn't turn the page for what seemed to be hours.
Eventually, night fell. Bulma escorted the girl to her room and loaned her a nightdress.
Trunks had begged his mom to allow him to finish the chapter, and was finally headed upstairs to his bedroom after both women were in bed. He sneaked past the girl's door quietly, not to wake her, and slipped into his room. He changed into his sleeping attire and crawled into his own bed, hoping for old dreams uninterrupted by the evil Androids. He closed his eyes and cuddled into his pillow.
Then he sat up again. Teeth. He'd forgotten to brush his teeth.
Again he rose and crept into the hall. He was passing the girl's room when he heard a noise. Cautiously, he leaned up against the door, ear-to-wood, and listened. She was crying again. How many tears did this girl have?
He started to move away from the door to give her privacy, when he heard something else. It was a voice coming from the room. No, it was her voice, the girl's! Her voice was soft and lovely and yet broken between sobs. She was singing herself a lullaby.
"I don't know
What words I can say.
The wind has a way
To talk to me.
Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby.
I pray for reply.
I'm ready.
Quiet day calms me.
Oh, serenity,
Someone please tell me
Oh, mmm,
What is it they say?
Maybe I will know one day.
I don't know
What words I can say.
The wind has a way
To talk to me.
Flowers sleep
A silent lullaby.
I pray for reply.
I'm ready."
By this point, Trunks was about ready to cry himself. Her song was so beautiful and sincere, even with the tears.
Trunks was reminded of the woman in the shelter humming to her baby. Suddenly, his mind was filled with a vision of the girl hugging her own mother, who was cradling her in her arms. Behind them the fireworks of the Androids' destruction filled the scene, yet even over the noise he could hear the woman singing this lullaby.
He shook away the image, forcing back tears.
Slowly, silently, he backed away from her room and sneaked back into his room, closing the door gently
* * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Hooray! I finally finished! I truly didn't think it would take this long! Well, now that this chapter's done, please review and let me know what you think and how I can improve! Thanks again!
