Special note to DreamWraith I did like you suggested and it was great. I didn't even notice all the white thingies! Thanks for reminding me, I had forgotten all about them! ^-^

Chapter 16-

Trista looked at the vast landscape before her. It was a beautiful, summer night. The gentle breeze caressed her skin, blowing the aroma of flowers her way. She looked at the full moon bavoe her, then to the keys in her hand. Just yesterday, she had found them ½ buried in a place she had looked a thousand times before. They looked like some one had hid them there recently. Probably some kid.

   Now that she had them, she could find the men who attacked her. She could go to her own time and ask the scouts for help. Or she could go to the unknown whereabouts of her Garnet Staff, but she didn't. she liked it here to much. She liked Piccolo to much, but she couldn't resign her position. She was the soul survivor of her line.

"I wouldn't be if I had some children." She thought aloud starting to get a dreamy look in her eyes.

"I would never treat them like my father did. I'd be more like my mother, sweet and caring, but firm on the rules. And I'd sing to them and never smother them with lessons." She made a grimace at the thought.

*Sigh* "But there's only one person I would ever want to have children with." She said, for a moment looking rather sad. "But he would have to love me as well. Maybe he does. I never can tell with him. But if he didn't… And I told him…" She shook her mind of the thought.

"Either way my mind's made up. I'll stay… At least, for a while longer."

As she gazed into the last rays of the sun it accented the majestic landscape. Life is so perfect. She thought as she began to sing:

Summer breeze, makes me feel fine.

Blowing through the jasmine in my mind.

"Singing to the moon again?" Piccolo teased, landing beside her.

"Yes. I hope is doesn't bother you."

"It doesn't."

There was a small silence as Trista debated telling him of her feelings, but Piccolo spoke first.

"Kolana, hoe did you first get here?

"I was in pursuit of some trespassers. Or rather, they were in pursuit of me."

"What do you mean?"

Trista explained the confrontation at the gates. Piccolo couldn't believe it. Those are the same guys Kami told me about! Oh S!@#! But he decided not to let her know of this. Another decision he would live to regret. But he enjoyed Trista's company, and thought it was a problem he could take care of later.

"What's interesting," Trista said, stared out into the sunset. "I remember them saying something about Tarj. They said he was a god of darkness. So I looked through the past of many alternate dimensions and found that Tarj was never really a god. He was a powerful magician of the dark arts who had a taste for woman. One day, he saw a beautiful woman and decided he would, *ahem* 'take her take maiden head.' But the woman adamantly refused, claiming she was happily married. So, he cast a spell and the moment she looked into his eyes, she fell 'in love' with him. Well, he slept with her and when her husband found out he killed him and gorged out one of his eyes. He cast it in an unbreakable crystal and gave it to his wife, as a reminder of her infidelity. The tale of Tarj was rather popular in those days and the story was exaggerated until Tarj was god with a large set of followers."

"What happened to the eye?"

"The leader had it when they attacked me. Since the eye belonged to such a powerful magician and they jewel was fashioned from contempt and pain, it still posses a lot of power. *humph* People always exaggerate stories of that kind. Like poor Coronus…"

"Wait, you spoke of him before. Isn't he the god of time where you come from?"

"So people say. Prof. Baylin Coronus was a famous scientist long ago. He created the Time Gates, and gave my family the gift and relics of time." She tightened her grip on her keys, as if they would suddenly disappear. "When he died, there was a great feud between his descendants and my ancestors. They wanted to take the relics from us and guard the gate themselves. But Eternity's word binds us, and they cannot have the duty until all of my line has passed on. Which may not belong…"

They sat in silence. Piccolo was looking into the night, and Trista was looking at him. He was a closed book. No matter how much she tried, she could never be sure of what he was thinking. She loved that about him. Such intrigue. She wanted to explore his depths forever.

Suddenly, she could resist no longer. On impulse, she kissed his cheek. It was a soft kiss, but warm and pleasant. She smiled in spite of herself. Then, realizing what she was doing she pulled away.

Piccolo looked straight ahead, a surprised look on his face.     

 "Did you just kiss me?"

"…Yes." Trista said, looking abashed. "I-so-sorry-I-should-have-asked-…" She rambled.

Piccolo heard none of her words. What just happened? The action had caught him off guard but that's not not what surprised him. It was what he felt. Such an intense burst of emotion. It was…He felt so much… of her…

Suddenly, he became aware of Trista's ramblings. He simply placed two fingers over her mouth to silence her.

"No. I liked it."

 It had started to drizzle but neither seemed to care as they looked into each other's eyes.

He kissed her again. Just as light, but with more intensity. He pressed in, hoping to get more of her. She leaned back in response. Piccolo's body seemed to be working on its own but he didn't care. All he knew is that he wanted all of her. Her very soul to merge with his own and the two become one.

Trista felt a surge of anticipation as his hand went up her shirt. But hen a very old rule, for which she had long since given up hope of ever needing came to mind. She wanted to curse that rule now, but she could not bring herself to break it.

"No." She said, pushing herself on her elbows. "We can't do this. Not yet."

Piccolo wasn't quite sure what they were about to do, but he knew she was right. He gave her a firm nod of agreement.

"But we can still kiss right?"

Trista gave a small giggle at his boyish question. "Yes. We can still kiss."

And so they did under they full moon's gaze. Shaded by tress of twilight, and socked in love's dew.         

AN: In case you were wondering, to 'take a maiden head' is to take a girl's virginity. I'm sorry if you were a little disappointed in this chap guys, but I don't believe in sex before marriage.  

This chapter is dedicated to my friend TiffyAngel. Who took me under her wing and cares for others as the Guardian Angel she is.