P.S. I don't hate Vegeta.
Someone commented in a review that it sounded like I did. I've observed
his personality and...he and I would not and do not get along very well,
as you can see. :P
These Dreams
Part Fifteen
Piccolo...I'm losing him. Please hurry!
Time became an enemy worse than Void. I hate how it breezes by when you're having fun, crawls slow when you're excitedly waiting for something, and ticks away faster than you can move when you're in a hurry! Especially since every second meant Freeza lost more blood and oxygen.
"Sleepy." Freeza let his eyes drift shut again. "I just need a little nap."
"No, no sleeping!" I pinched him back to awareness. It was getting harder and harder to keep him conscious. The blood slowly leaking through my clamped fingers formed a huge puddle around me. The bed, sheets, Freeza's shoulder and neck, my pant legs and my hands were completely covered. I've never seen so much blood before...it's a terrifying sight.
Just like I do any other time when I get desperate for help, I crossed myself and prayed. "Dear Lord, please, if you're listening right now...don't take Freeza away. He has a family that needs him. I need the Holy Spirit to help me keep my head together just a little longer...please..."
And God answered.
Footsteps pounded down the hall and bodies filed into the room. Someone took my arm and tried to pull me away from Freeza. "No! If I let go, he'll die! I'm not letting go until I see a clamp on the artery!"
"Okay, okay..." spoke a calm woman's voice. She whispered something to the team of medical professionals. A second later I felt cool latex and stainless steel touch my skin. I saw a tool resembling scissors without cutting blades jutting from the wound in Freeza's thin neck. The blood flow stopped completely. "Clamp is in place. Let us take over now."
My fingers ached from being clenched in one position for so long. Another nurse occupied the space I just vacated. The other three squeezed in and went to work. None of them turned around to see if I was okay.
Everything in the room carried the coppery smell of Freeza's blood. I only saw the brilliant crimson smattered everywhere. Even on the ceiling. My whole body, hands and face were covered in it. It made my hair mat together in sticky clumps. I looked like I just massacred an army. Or like I did the time Void murdered Freeza. Horrible flashbacks from that day haunted me. I staggered from the small room and down the hall in a complete daze. Staring at the blood on my hands with a hot lump swelling in my throat. The hard front I'd put on was starting to crumble.
Tears blurred my vision before I could get halfway down the white-tiled corridor. I wiped them away, smearing the blood on my face even more.
I felt a presence approach me silently from behind. But my legs wouldn't stop taking me away from the frightening room. The quiet presence followed me all the way down the hall and out through the elevator-like doors. A hand came down on my shoulder as soon as I stepped off the tile and onto polished wood.
My tear-blurred eyes spotted a green shape sitting on the living room floor.
Wait, if Piccolo was there, then who was... I twisted my head around and saw Vegeta's hand on my shoulder. My eyes turned blankly to his face.
Vegeta stared across the room and did not meet my gaze. "You should feel lucky. These bloodstains will wash off."
That was all he said. He lifted his hand away and disappeared. I didn't look to see where he went. His words didn't make me feel any better, nor did I think of their meaning. My mind wouldn't comprehend anything other than horror.
In the haze of tears I saw flashes of Piccolo standing up and coming towards me. A blur of bloodstained white, emerald green, sky blue and deep purple.
I turned my bloody hands palm-up and showed them to Piccolo. Then I broke down, sobbing so hard I would've crumpled to my knees at his feet if he hadn't caught me by the shoulders. I crushed two handfuls of his baggy gi in my fists and sobbed into his stomach. The hard, heaving sobs that turned the rest of my body into boneless jelly. Piccolo literally had to hold me up.
"Hey..." he said, but I didn't acknowledge his voice.
Next thing I knew, Piccolo and I were on the couch. My face found new residence against his neck, my tears dripping onto his green skin. He tried to pry my hands off his gi. I wouldn't let go.
"Freeza will be okay." His breathy voice rumbled right in my ear. "You did good in there, keeping a cool head."
"I couldn't protect him...I didn't even try...I-I-I just stood there while she slit his throat!" I gagged on my own tears and the smell of blood still present everywhere. It completely masked Piccolo's comforting scent. That distressed me more. "I doubted myself, Piccolo! And it...it almost got Freeza killed! I'm so STUPID!"
Piccolo quieted me by hissing through his teeth. "What's done is done. It could've been worse, but it isn't. Freeza wouldn't be here if you didn't slap him around and keep that artery clamped shut."
"But..."
"Quiet. You need to settle down now. It's over, let it go."
I listened to him, though it wasn't easy. The gripping knot of fear gradually released its hold on my chest. Then my choking sobs faded to sniffles and ceased entirely. Finally my awareness shifted back outwards. I heard other sounds and smelled more than the blood. People were talking down the hall. Piccolo's scent was still there. He was breathing slowly against my ear. I also noticed his arms were wrapped firmly around my shoulders. Tight enough that I felt his heartbeat, yet not so constricting that I couldn't move.
Piccolo stared down at me with his dynamic black eyes. He didn't smile or sneer. The light was hitting him at an angle that let me see his lips perfectly - as opposed to just the usual tight line I'm used to. I wish I had a camera to capture it.
"You should go get cleaned up before that blood congeals."
"I'm not the only one, green giant." I allowed myself a slight half-smile.
He eyed me suspiciously. Knowing exactly what was going through my mind, he said, "No."
Blah! Piccolo knows me too well!
"Aww, why not?"
"Because we have to keep our minds focused on the fight. You're no good to work with if your brain is glued on me. I need you focused, Cyndi." Piccolo closed his eyes and let his breath out. It didn't stink this time so he must have gotten himself something to drink. "Besides, I need some time to think."
There's something I understand
all too well. I like to be alone when I want to think, too. "Okay, no problem.
I'll go see Freeza when I get done."
Therma-Silk shampoo works miracles on my hair. I never thought I'd wash all that blood out, yet two applications of the strawberry-scented liquid removed even the toughest clumps. Add some cream rinse to the mix and you'd never know about the huge mess I went through.
I just wish a shower could wash the horrible images from my mind.
The mirror was all steamy when I climbed out. I wiped my hand around the cool glass until I created circle large enough to let me see my reflection. Next to it I wrote 'I love Piccolo!'. Below that I drew a happy Anime face with the half-circle eyes and a straight line for a mouth.
Cute.
I slopped on some deodorant and put on the only clean clothes I had left - my sky-blue tube top and jean shorts. I like my tube top(my dad hates it!) because it hugs my upper body, and people can tell I actually have breasts. I always say I'm not self-conscious about my chest anymore, but deep down I still am.
"Argh, stop it before you knock yourself down again." I growled at my reflection. Faint bruises shaped like Vegeta's fingers marred my neck. I wrapped the length of my hair in a towel and squeezed out the extra water.
Wait, why deal with a towel? I tossed the annoying thing aside and blasted some energy out the back of my head. My hair frizzed wildly up and fell back down my back - DRY! A quick run with the brush replaced some semblance of order. Untamed, but tangle-free. I still think I look like Yajirobe's long-lost sister.
I finished up by applying a little makeup on my eyes and cheeks, opting for a tinted lip-gloss instead of lipstick. Gave myself a quick once-over in the mirror. Or what little I could see with the steam coming back.
"You're soooo vaaainnnn..." I sang, "You probably think this song is about youuu. Don't you, don't you? Uh..." Then I forgot the rest of the words. Oh well, I'm not Carly Simon.
A blast of cooler air greeted me when I threw the bathroom door open. I walked barefoot down the hall, carrying my shampoo and conditioner in a plastic bag. My long hair swished against the bare skin on the backs of my knees. I have the funny habit of walking on tip-toe when I'm barefoot on an unfamiliar floor. I don't move like I'm wearing invisible high-heels, but my heels don't quite touch the ground either. Must be some unconscious attempt at being taller - or just my usual weirdness. Can't decide which.
After depositing the baggie in my backpack and popping it into a Capsule, I padded down the tile hallway in search of Freeza. He wasn't in the bloody room - I forced myself to check. The nurse that put the clamp in Freeza's neck recognized me when I re-entered the hall.
"Down the hall, to the left, he's in the first room you'll see." She told me.
"Thanks."
Locating the right doorway took little time. I approached and peeked timidly inside.
The room was dim, lit only by fading sunlight peeking around the tightly-shut vertical blinds, and everything smelled like a doctor's office. It resembled the room Vegeta used when he blew up the gravity room all those years ago.
Freeza rested comfortably in a bed set up under the window. His color was coming back, no more ashen gray to mess up his perfect complexion. Reflections from his purple cranium created funky patterns on the wall behind his head. He had some IVs in his left arm, an oxygen mask over half his face and a piece of square gauze taped to his neck. His dream catcher dangled off a hook on the IV stand. It was all purple with a single row of white feathers hanging off the bottom and two clear beads in the middle.
He appeared asleep. I didn't want to bother him, so I turned to leave.
"'ey."
I glanced back. Freeza's ruby eyes were open and looking at me.
"I thought you were asleep. I didn't want to bother you."
The Icejin offered me a half-smile and patted the mattress a few times, his scratchy voice muffled by the plastic mask. "I was just restin' my eyes, 'luv. C'mon back in 'ere and keep me company."
Poor guy, I thought silently. I approached the soft bed, turned the bedside chair around and sat down with my legs on either side. Resting my arms across the back, I put my chin down. "How do you feel now? You were in a bad way back there. And..." My fingers gripped the wooden chair-backing, "I'm sorry I didn't help you when Void grabbed you. I could have, but I doubted myself. It made me hesitate too long. I mean...it almost got you killed!"
Freeza wiggled around until he was facing me more fully. His breath fogged the mask, "Don't get all clucky over it. If you went after Void and 'ad a blue, both of us would be layin' 'ere instead of just me."
"I know what Void is doing."
"Ay?"
Boiling heat turned my stomach over. I forced calmness into my voice, "She's attacking the people I care about. That bothers me more than physical punishment and she knows it. I just know Void will be using you guys to get to me when we go after her. I don't know if I can deal with it if - "
A soft, cool hand with cream-smooth skin settled down over mine. "If it ever comes to a choice between us and the dreams of everyone else...choose everyone else. Piccolo would understand. Per'aps Vegeta would too, now that 'e 'as a family of 'is own." Freeza flashed a sideways smirk, "Though I do sometimes wonder 'ow they put up with that bloke."
"He's a good dad. His oversized ego just makes him act like an asshole."
"Is that so?" Came a harsh voice from the doorway.
I twisted around and peered over my shoulder. There stood Vegeta with his arms crossed, leaning on the door frame. He was all sweaty and wearing nothing more than a pair of dark gray track-pants. A mild smirk quirked his thin mouth upwards. He narrowed his dark eyes at me.
Why is it that every time I start to like Vegeta as a person, he turns around and pisses me off?
"Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation?" I spat vehemently.
Vegeta sneered. "I live here, I have every right to do as I please."
That nearly set my temper off. But the threat Vegeta gave me earlier set off little warning bells in my mind. I forced myself to stay calm and turned away from the Saiyajin Prince. "You are such an asshole."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere, twig-girl."
"Bite me!"
Freeza cut in over the argument, "'luv, settle down, 'e's just givin' you the razz in a bad way."
"I know." I stood up and faced Vegeta fully. He was about my mom's height, five-foot-three or so, but his impressive hair made him seem a foot taller. For some reason he reminded me of those troll dolls you make wishes on - however I don't think Vegeta would appreciate someone rubbing his hair. "Vegeta, why are you always such a jerk to me? You treat everybody like dirt, but you seem to do it most to me. I can understand your reasons for not liking Freeza, but I'd like to know why I get it too. So...why?"
Vegeta's thick eyebrows went up slightly. "Why do you ask such stupid questions?"
Ooh! I wanted to slap him! "Just humor me, okay? Think you can do that?"
The bed rustled behind me. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Freeza putting a pillow over his head. Poor guy didn't want to listen to it. I jerked my head towards the corridor and stepped through the doorway. Vegeta followed, thankfully, his eyebrows cocked up in an almost pleasant expression.
I stopped at the junction in the hallway and leaned on the wall. "Now...I want my answer."
He snickered loudly. His eyebrows regained their usual arrogant tilt. "Because you're easy to push around. If you can't take it from me, what makes you think you can beat Void? Seems to me that all you do is slow us down."
Vegeta's words ignited more flames in my stomach. My tail bristled. I seethed inwardly, yet somehow I maintained enough self-control to walk away without another comment. Not an easy thing for me to do - I always, always, ALWAYS have to get the last word in an argument. Otherwise I wind up feeling like I lost. And I hate losing.
The cool tile under my bare feet gave way to wood panels. I stepped into the living room where Piccolo was still meditating and punched the first pillow I got my hands on. Then I sat down on the couch with my head in my hands, breathing deeply. Trying to swallow an emotion I can never fully control.
"Slow us down...yeah right. Eat my shit," I muttered sourly. There I was, acting immature again. I hate myself when I get that way!
"Need to talk about it?" Piccolo's low, suddenly close voice created a chord in the silence. He was sitting in the lotus position near the couch like a green Buddha statue. Grr, he's so sneaky, I didn't notice him moving until he was right there.
I felt too ashamed of myself to look Piccolo in the eye. "Vegeta's being an asshole, that's all."
"What did you say to him this time?"
"Why do I always get blamed for starting it all the time?" I snapped my head up.
Piccolo didn't show any outward reaction towards the outburst. He leaned forward, "Then what did he say to get you all riled up?"
The couch became oddly uncomfortable under my butt. Some shifting around provided relief. "It doesn't matter, it's over now."
"You let him get to you too much. Don't get all riled up over him, he's just trying to push your buttons. We've all dealt with him." The Namek heaved a sigh through parted lips, "Vegeta always did enjoy pushing people weaker than him around. Personally, I think he does it to feed his ego."
"He was eavesdropping! That's just...rude!"
Piccolo had no comment for that. He looked away and closed his eyes, indicating a change of subject. "So how is Freeza doing now?"
"All right, I guess." I grumbled, crossing my arms. "He'll be okay in a day or two, I think. Dunno how long it'll take his body to replenish the blood it lost. I heard someone say it looked like he lost two pints and that it was a miracle he survived."
"That settles it." Piccolo's dark eyes became intense, "As soon as he's well again, we're going after Void. We can't afford to wait any longer."
"Right."
The green man's eyes wandered from my face to my neck. He caught my chin between thumb and forefinger and forced my head to turn. "When did this happen?"
I growled, "Last night. Let's just say Vegeta promised I wouldn't be walking away if I humiliated him again. Since I don't want to die anytime soon..."
Piccolo's lips curled into a faint sneer that wrinkled his nose. "He won't like it if I ever catch him with his hands on you..."
"Piccolo, don't." I drew back, forced myself to calm down and sighed. Getting out of there sounded like a good idea. "I think I'm going to go out and fly for awhile. Do some exploring. I'll just look for your ki signal to find my way back. Think you'll be okay without me for a little while, big guy?"
The corner of Piccolo's mouth curled upwards. He looked pretty evil with the sneer still wrinkling his nose. "I'll live."
"Good." I gave him a peck
on the cheek, "Be back soon." With that, I padded to the door and leapt
out, my energy catapulting me towards the foggy night sky.
The cool night air felt wonderful against my bare neck and shoulders. It almost felt like I wasn't wearing a shirt at all...I guess I don't wear my tube top often enough. I still wasn't quite accustomed to having the wind in my eyes or my hair being thrown so violently about. How did the guys fly so fast without their eyeballs drying out?
City lights stretched out in the distance below me. I observed them without looking straight down. Mostly the lights were white and yellow, but I also saw blues, reds and greens too. The view reminded me of the time I went to Las Vegas and stood up on top of the Stratosphere. Everywhere I looked, I saw lights. Mostly in gold, but it was so beautiful. Now I observed something similar, only this time nothing stood between me, the Earth and the air. I was...free.
"Yahahaha!" I let myself freefall, only to power up at the last second and swoop back up. My heart pounded. I was shaking all over. What a rush!
I wanted to find out how fast I could really go. I'd finally convinced myself that falling wouldn't kill me. Piccolo always did say my own doubts were the only things holding me back.
Then let's stop doubting right now. Just for a minute. I can do this...
The ki inside me bubbled. My whole body tightened with the effort. I felt myself accelerating like an airplane preparing for take-off. Strong winds roared through my ears and chilled my skin. I was displacing so much energy that clouds evaporated when I blasted through them! I must've been going as fast as a fighter jet!
And when I looked over my shoulder, I noticed I was leaving a distinct contrail. Just like the guys. Now I really did fit in!
"WOOHOO! Now I'm REALLY moving! WAHAHAHA!!!"
I cleared the city in less than three minutes, that's how fast I flew. The glittering lights gave way to blackness both above and below. Clouds obscured the stars from view, but I had just enough night vision to realize I'd flown out to Piccolo's valley. I can recognize the shapes of those cliffs anywhere.
A damp chill settled into the air. Everything will be covered in dew by morning. That made me smile as I imagined everything glittering like the city lights I just left behind.
All the flying left me a little tired. I spilled energy and....oh boy...came in for a pretty rough landing. Woops, forgot to stand upright before I dropped. At least I didn't slide this time. I stood up again, dusted off and looked around. Yep, it was already a bit dewy out. Had someone parked their car here, the windows would've been all fogged up with condensation.
The dusty air smelled exactly like Piccolo's clothes, but stronger. My nose told me where the dinosaurs were hanging out. I took a huge sniff. Flowers were blooming somewhere close. I followed the scent out of curiosity. Just what kind of blossoms awaited my discovery?
I searched and searched, and searched some more. Couldn't find the darn flowers. Well shoot, what good is a strong sense of smell if I can't use it to locate a friggin' flower patch?
I looked up at the sky in exasperation. The clouds were thinning out. A faint glow came through them. Blurry at first, then clearer.
The light I saw was the moon. A very huge and full moon.
My tail went rigid. I should've realized what was going on. Even if I did, it was too late to stop the chain reaction going on inside me.
As I stared at the white orb in the sky, I felt my insides and skin starting to pulsate. Slow at first, then faster. I grew larger with each pulse. My clothes shredded and fell off. I stiffened as if a thousand volts just passed down my spine. This should've hurt, yet didn't. The same feeling you get when you're having a numb tooth drilled.
Brown fur sprouted over my erupting muscles. Pointed fangs like Piccolo's poked against my tongue. My jaw elongated. The cliffs no longer towered over me. I saw everything in crystal clarity.
And the power! Raw and untapped, it surged up and outwards. Something deep within me snapped. Logic disappeared. I was changing...becoming stronger. Self-awareness and emotional control vanished. The anger I kept inside manifested itself in my mind. I knew nothing but rage. It made me feel powerful. This must be how Bruce Banner felt when he turned into the Hulk!
I let loose with an earth-shattering roar. Blasted the cliff directly in my path. It crumbled to dust at my feet. My fist smashed a boulder off to the left. I burped up a white heat ray that dug a huge trench in the rocky ground. Within a matter of minutes I became a whirlwind of destruction that leveled everything around me.
I'd lost all control...and I liked it...
I was reborn!
Piccolo...had to show my new form to...handsome green person...he was somewhere in those twinkling things. He was...I was...
Who was I?
My fist destroyed another rock formation, giving me a perfect view of the city. I shrieked at the moon, beat my furry chest with two massive fists and ambled straight for the glittery lights far in the distance.