These Dreams
Part Twenty-Three
There's no way Void could've survived that. No freaking way.
I gaped stupidly at the huge mountains of smoke rising into the atmosphere. It looked like a black wall moving steadily closer. Had this place been a real planet and not a dreamscape, I'm sure the smoke would eventually cover the whole globe.
For a time it became utterly still. Nobody moved, we were all trying to sense Void. Only the wind moved, stirring my hair and the torn edges of my clothes. My nose detected different scents of sweat mixed with the smoke creeping towards us. I concentrated harder on my senses. Reaching out as far as my mind would allow.
Nothing. Not even a flicker.
I couldn't contain my excitement anymore. In fact, I barely managed a subdued tone when I turned to the others and said, "I think we won."
"I sure don't sense Void anywhere." Piccolo stated plainly. He twisted his face in concentration and shrank back to his normal seven-foot height. It was funny - his body shrank first, so for a split second his limbs were still huge. Then they shrank too and left him with his normal proportions.
Vegeta didn't look too sure, but he's always a party pooper.
Freeza let out a whoop like you wouldn't believe! He pumped his white arm in the air and cheered, "We're free! We won!"
"Yes!" I backflipped in mid air, twirled around and flew in a complete circle the small gathering. "WE WON!! WOOHOO! YEAH! WE ROCK!" Then I dove at Vegeta and planted a kiss on his cheek - he squirmed away with a few choice words. I glided to Freeza and caught him up in a big bear hug...also giving him a little peck on the cheek. He blushed. Finally I flitted up to Piccolo and slopped a big one on him. Piccolo was too surprised to do anything more than tolerate my affection. Not once during our relationship did I ever show such a public display of my feelings for him. Until now, anyway.
Piccolo's whole face and ears turned completely purple. He pushed me away once the shock wore off, but it was too late. Everyone saw us.
"Enough with the mushy stuff." Piccolo said coldly. But then he smirked and reached down to pat my head, his way of being affectionate.
Vegeta's wide-eyed stare was priceless! Freeza finally had to nudge him so he'd quit gawking.
"What? You want one from me, too?" He asked jokingly.
Vegeta just turned his head away. "Humph!"
I gave Piccolo's muscular arm a tug, "C'mon, let's go land somewhere. I'm tired from all that and I don't know if I can stay up in the air."
The tall Namek smiled. We descended together and landed on a large, rocky island. Leaving Freeza and Vegeta on their own for the moment. Maybe, given time, they could learn to get along.
I flopped down indian style as soon as Piccolo and I touched down on the ground. He sat across from me, leaning against a nearby boulder. Poor Piccolo, he was exhausted, dirty and sweaty. His chiseled pecs heaved and his eyelids drooped. He wiped a hand down the center of his face, brushing away the sweat. A move that wound up smearing more dirt across his cheeks and nose. For a moment there he kinda reminded me of a construction worker taking a break.
Needless to say...I enjoyed the view while he rested.
Seeing you half-naked makes this whole trip soooo worth it. I said to myself, smiling. Damn, you look HOT!
Well of course I'm hot, I was just in a fight! Piccolo picked his head up and blinked, After all this, you're still thinking dirty thoughts about me?
Heat leaked into my cheeks. I burst out laughing. Piccolo joined in, though his chuckles were kept quiet and subdued.
"Kid, you have a one-track mind."
"You bet!" I jumped up onto the rock he was leaning against, grinning. From there I had a good view of Freeza and Vegeta. They appeared to be having some sort of conversation. Well, more like Freeza did the talking and gesturing - Vegeta just ignored him. I wished I could hear what Freeza was saying.
Finally I had to ask, "Hey, Piccolo...what's Freeza saying to Vegeta?"
The tall Namek tilted his head a bit and listened. He smirked, "He's talking about his wife and daughter."
"Ah, why am I not surprised?" I reached into my pocket and...whaddya know...found the capsule containing my backpack. Cool! I tossed it down. A few moments later found me re-applying my makeup. It would probably end up running again later. But at least I'd look good for a while.
Piccolo watched me, fascinated. He waited until I got to my lipstick before asking, "Why do you bother putting that back on when you know it'll be ruined later?"
"Well..." I finished putting my lipstick on, giggled and slid down next to Piccolo. Planted a big smooch, leaving a nice lip-smack right on his cheek. No need to blot now. "It's a girl thing, I guess. Everything has to look good."
He growled a bit and wiped his cheek until the kiss mark disappeared. Giving my head a playful shove, he smirked, "Get outta here with that. I don't need your girly markings all over my face."
"Why not? It's how I mark my territory. With lip-smacks." I laughed and climbed back onto the rock to poof my belongings back into a capsule.
I noticed the air smelled like a fireplace. Bits of ash started falling. Not much, but enough to make everybody look like they had dandruff. Darkness claimed the sky. The smoke was finally reaching our location. It created an eerie shadow over everything, kind of like wearing sunglasses. I gained an incredible feeling of foreboding. That feeling you always get when something isn't quite right, but you don't know what it is. Blame it on my woman's intuition.
"Piccolo...I don't like this. It doesn't feel right."
The tall Namek rumbled wordlessly. "You noticed it too?"
"I wonder if - "
KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM! KA-BLAM! BOOM! KA-BLAM! BOOM! KA-BLAM-BLAM-BLAM!
Pillars of energy shot up from the ground between Piccolo and I, drawing a large circle in the dirt. The earthquake knocked me onto my butt. I lost sight of Piccolo. Freeza and Vegeta both spun towards the explosions.
Black tentacles erupted and closed around me like a slimy fist, immobilizing me completely. Something slammed up from underground, spraying the area with pebbles and dirt. Everything shook in blind madness! I knew nothing but flashes of light in the smoke, sounds of explosions and the others shouting. Piccolo, most of all, because his scream was of pain.
More explosions. Freeza growling. Vegeta cussing. Piccolo was silent. I kept squirming, unable to free myself.
"HELP!" I screamed. Terror reached a whole new level. All the changes adrenalin brings about hit me tenfold. I became so scared I almost threw up. Tears raced down my face. I came within seconds of hyperventilating. "SOMEONE HELP ME! I CAN'T MOVE!"
"Dammit, I can't move either!" Vegeta snarled. His voice came from the left, not too far away from where I was.
"Cyndi!" Freeza dove into view and attached himself to the tentacles pinning me. He braced a foot on the ground and gave several hard yanks. Suddenly a black object stretched from the right. Freeza didn't spot it in time. His eyes opened wide. Tentacles got him too! He struggled like crazy, but they just pulled him down to the ground.
"FREEZA!" I wrenched myself from side to side, "Dammit, no!"
Vegeta's power skyrocketed. His aura flashed brilliant gold. I heard snapping noises. He was free, I glimpsed his gold aura taking to the air. Freeza also broke out of his bonds in a flash of blue-white. He took to the sky as well. Both probably assumed I could break out too.
But I couldn't even move my arms. I'm too damn weak! Why the hell am I fighting this fight when I can't do anything?! I'm always slowing everyone down!
Cold laughter split the air. Void's laughter. In the curling smoke I saw her imposing form. Just glimpses of shimmery armor amidst dark shadows. Then her eyes came into view. They mocked me. Laughing at my weakness. She was missing her left pincher and had dirty spots all over her armor. Silver turpentine-scented blood leaked down the center of her face, creating three thin lines that reminded me of the Atari logo. It looked like war-paint.
"Let me go!" I screamed.
"Heh, heh, heh...I love how helpless you look." Void clicked her mandibles. She crossed her upper arms and stood up straighter.
Then I noticed she had Piccolo. He dangled lifelessly from her remaining pincher, which she had clamped against his throat. She'd beaten him severely. He looked like Nail did after Freeza left him to die. No...worse. I won't even describe it because it was so bad. Seeing Piccolo like that made tears well up in my eyes.
I still felt his power. He was alive.
Anger welled up in my throat. How dare Void hurt Piccolo! How dare she!
"You...you sick bitch! Let him go! Haven't you done enough?!"
Piccolo suddenly grabbed the sides of Void's pincher. He kicked his right let up and smashed his foot into the joint. Void wailed in pain. She dropped him instantly. He landed on his back. Did a quick handspring to move himself away. His left leg was wounded - he fell. Got up again. Came limping towards me, one hand clutching his bleeding right arm. Not fast enough! He'd never get away from her like that!
"NOW!" Vegeta shouted from the air.
A barrage of yellow and red ki blasts slammed down from somewhere in the smoke. Freeza and Vegeta...both trying to divert Void's attention from Piccolo. Void looked up, smiled and raised her hands. The energy geysers started up again, sending Freeza and Vegeta flying upwards. I felt their powers move far away...aside from being surprised they seemed all right. Just frazzled.
Void's eyes settled on Piccolo. He was five feet from me. She shuffled forward behind him, her legs making that scratchy noise. Her tail arched and the stinger gleamed.
No! Piccolo, get away from here! Fly! Run! She's after you!
Piccolo didn't answer or listen to me. His mind was probably focused solely on moving, he didn't seem aware of Void creeping up on him. Either that or he was aware and trying to outrun her. Fat chance!
I fought harder against the tentacles binding me. They only held on tighter.
Piccolo was less than two feet from me when Void lunged. I heard a slashing noise. The Namek froze. His pupils disappeared. He slumped forward over the barbed, silver stinger protruding from his navel. The stinger twisted sideways and pulled itself out in a spray of body fluids. Piccolo fell forward and landed facedown into a puddle of his own purplish blood. He reminded me of an exotic green bird shot by hunters. The love of my life was lying two feet from me, bleeding to death, and I couldn't do a thing to help him. I couldn't stop Void from hurting him. I couldn't protect him. I couldn't even hold him.
"Piccolo..."
In my mind I saw the bright light I witnessed in Vegeta's gravity room. The containment field around it shattered like glass. I heard an Oozaru roar. Light exploded, unchecked, through the darkness. Renewed energy surged within me. It was so warm...so blissfully warm...
KA-BLAAAAMMM!
Void rocked back and disappeared seconds before the blast hit. I glimpsed her in the sky, engaging Vegeta and Freeza.
I focused on my energy again. It kept rising like a pot boiling over. I had no control! I was just so...so angry! So angry that thunder rumbled around me. Lightning flashed over my head. Debris rose off the ground. My aura appeared, brilliant blue-white against the dark gray smoke. Piccolo was dying in front of me! Freeza and Vegeta were going to get killed. And I HAD NO WAY TO HELP THEM!
I snapped. Something inside me just...snapped. I could not let my friends die!
My aura turned blinding white. Then it flashed to gold and went back to white. Gold and white. Over and over. I saw only red. Blood red. Then white and gold...I was seeing my own energy...it was so bright inside me that it lit up my retinas from behind. I trembled, attached to an invisible electric generator. Sparks flew off my tingling body. My skin burned. My heart burned. My anger burned. I burned! Void was going to pay for what she did! My energy kept pulsating. An explosion waiting to happen. I was on the edge of something incredible.
I let go of everything, letting the power take over. Gave myself completely to the change coming over me.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
My power surged out of control. The hair on my arms and head stood on end as if I'd been struck by lightning. My heart thudded at light-speed, the blood roaring through my ears like thunder. The earth around me shattered. My muscles tightened like coiled steel. I felt myself breaking free and rising up. Senses intensified. I was faster. Stronger. I felt so...so alive and full of power! Full of power. Sheer, un-tainted power.
My toes touched down on the battered dirt. My vision cleared to a golden aura that made a very distinctive twinkling sound. I looked down at Piccolo's prone form. He rolled over and stared up at me, but didn't look at all surprised at my new power.
"You...you're a...super Saiyajin...I knew you'd do it...." He said. Then he coughed up a huge glob of blood and chuckled. "Heh! Shave your eyebrows off...and you'd look like...like...a...Super Saiyajin...three...all that frigging hair of yours...you look funny, kid."
I knelt, wrapped my arms around Piccolo's shoulders and pressed my lips to his. I didn't care that he bled into my mouth. For some reason I liked the coppery taste on my tongue. "Shh, just rest and work on regenerating yourself." I put my hand down over his, the one he used to clutch the bloody wound. Doing the 'mothering' bit, as he put it. "We can talk about my funny hair later. Right now...I'll help keep Void busy. You get yourself better." I touched his cheek, "Piccolo, I love you."
"Yeah, yeah. Knock off...the mushy stuff...and go...fight." Piccolo smirked at me through his pain. I felt his heartbeat slow to control the bleeding. He closed his eyes and rested, gathering energy to heal himself.
"I'll make her sorry she ever hurt you." I laid him down and pressed my lips to his brow. "Don't you dare die on me."
Time to see just how powerful I've become.
I blasted off the ground. Screaming my head off as I charged up at Void, aura blazing in my wake. I reached her in one second. Everything else appeared to move in ultra-slow motion. The air passed my ears so fast it actually howled. And I was fast before...
"VOID! GO TO HELL!"
Void had just enough time to give me a shocked look. Then my fist smashed into her jaw. She went flying back into the ground with silver blood flying off her face. I caught her completely off-guard. Otherwise that would've never worked.
Freeza floated forward, his skin a dirty-white against the smoky background. His eyes were huge. He lifted up a lock of static-charged hair falling over my face and stared at me, "Cyndi? Is that you under there?"
I faced him and smiled, "Yeah..."
A hand clamped hard onto my shoulder. Oddly, my shoulder didn't have the same give it had before. Like my muscles became armor under my skin. This new form was way more intense than my "super" form in the Real world. If my "super" human form was an atomic blast...the Super Saiyajin form is a supernova explosion. I turned to the person whose hand rested on my shoulder.
"Control your energy." Vegeta said sternly. Not at all impressed by my change. Compared to him I was still pretty weak. "It won't last forever, even if it feels like it will. Use only what you need and nothing more until the right moment arrives. Otherwise you'll have nothing left to fight with."
I looked away from him and fixed my eyes on the ground. My aura dissolved back into my being. The power was still there, just not being displayed to the world. "Piccolo has to hurry up. We can't beat Void without him. Only the four of us together can win against her...she's just too strong."
Freeza bobbed in the air. He wiped sweat off his forehead and fixed his red eyes on Vegeta and I. "Well, what do we do until then? Let her run rampant?"
"No...we keep her busy until Piccolo can join us again. He's hurt bad." I boiled in anger. The way Void hurt Piccolo was still very fresh in my mind. Usually I can forget bad moments like that. Not this time. "We have to be like mosquitoes...just annoy her for awhile without using up too much power."
Vegeta cut me off, "Here she comes!" He dodged past me and flew at Void's approaching form. His foot smashed solidly into her chest. Right in the boob! Even if it was armored...I still winced at that.
Then Freeza looped in. "I'm gonna wipe that grin right off your face!" He bitch slapped her just like Goku did to him! Then he turned around and whipped her throat with his tail. Go Freeza! I would've cracked up if the situation wasn't so serious.
My turn. I zoomed down to Void's vulnerable underbelly, "This is for Piccolo!" and kicked her as hard as I could. Still felt like kicking a tank.
Void went reeling from the attacks on all sides. "Annoying insects! I can't wait to destroy you! Then your worlds will be MINE!"
"In your..." I snickered, "In your dreams, Ass-mole!"
"Grr!"
A huge tail smashed against my side. It sent me flying into the ground, which imploded on impact. I kind of sank in because my body displaced so much energy. Finally, I made a crater worthy of the show! I got up and laughed. Not sure what I found so funny...maybe it's because the impact didn't even hurt. My skin was almost completely numb to pain.
Up in the sky, Freeza and Vegeta continued their assault. Void kept swatting at them. But her size made her slow - she never made a solid connection.
BANG!
Uh oh.
I scrambled away just in time. Void crashed into the half-destroyed dirt less than ten feet behind me. Damn, she made a crater bigger than mine! She rolled to her feet, shook herself like a cat and charged right at me. I jumped back. Her tail lashed out. I dodged it. Left, right, up, down and up again. It still moved fast...normal speed compared to a slow-motion background...but I still had enough warning to avoid it.
And while Void was busy with me...
KA-BOOM! BOOM!
Freeza nailed her with a huge red ki blast. Vegeta sailed in right behind it to land a kick in the middle of her back. Void's legs buckled. She lashed her tail at them. Freeza tangled his tail in hers. "Have a nice trip!" He landed on the ground and whipped her over his head like a catapult! Quite an amazing sight considering the size differences. Void gave a surprised cry and smashed into the ground. More dirt flew up. Freeza jumped back and panted for air. "And that..." he gasped, "...was for Cathy and Lexy."
"Nice one!"
More leather-scratching noises. Void was up and heading for Piccolo!
"Oh hell no." I charged across her path. Piccolo picked me up countless times...now I was the one to pick him up. His size and my small arms made for quite an awkward moment. He didn't even twitch when I looped my arms under his armpits and took to the air. Void's tail slammed into the dirt less than a second after take-off.
Vegeta jumped in to keep Void busy. Sounds from their battle echoed all around. Freeza came up and took hold of Piccolo's dangling legs. He helped me lower the unconscious Namek to the ground. His injury wasn't bleeding anymore, but I worried that too much movement would destroy the healing process already taking place. The less we disturbed his wound the better.
I guided Piccolo's head gently so it wouldn't smack into the grass. "She's sick. Going after someone who can't fight back...that's just wrong." I went about arranging Piccolo into a more comfortable resting position. Or at least moved him enough that he wouldn't wake up with his legs asleep or something equally uncomfortable.
Freeza touched my arm. "He'll be okay here. Let's go help Vegeta."
"Right."
Freeza's aura flashed white around him. He took off in a blaze to re-join the battle. I glanced down at Piccolo. His power level was coming back up. Soon he'd be back at my side, fighting with me. I smiled and let my gold aura flare. Oh the glory of being a Super Saiyajin.
I took off and rocketed back into the fray.