Chapter 46: Parting is such sweet sorrow
Authors Notes: Well, this one's a heart breaker. Tissue-alert! It's short, but I hope you guys like it, anyway.
Jeryn plodded along her mother's side, her small clawed hand nestled within the other Storkrin's much larger one. She was smiling, oblivious to the fact that she was one of the very few Storkrin children with their real mother left. Had she been older than two, she would have been able to comprehend exactly what that meant. Even on a Planet where she would probably not live past the age of 30, due to the fact that she was female, she still found enough reason to fit the grin in with her schedule.
Today was her third birthday. In the mind of a child, that was more than enough reason to smile. She had her mother, Keisha, had been wandering the outskirts of the R'haksin markets, trying to find something suitable for a young Storkrin's birthday gift.
Keisha looked down at her child. As small as she was, she was very important. Born from a womb that had been Fortricres free, Jeryn would not suffer the terrible disease if she continued to keep herself healthy. It was a marvel to live on R'haksin now. The Psytrim were depleting, but while the cure for their disease was leaving them, better things had happened. The arrival of the strange Sayajin Prince and his even stranger Earthling companion had brought about the destruction of every Storkrin woman's biggest fear; The Dungeons. Not only had they been destroyed, but also many of the females within had been released. Besides The Dungeons being destroyed, a new Council had been established, one that seemed to be none too harsh on Storkrin women. It gave Keisha hope for her daughter, once she was gone.
As they walked along, glancing left and right at the usual R'haksin offers, Keisha felt Jeryn's hand slip from her own. The little Storkrin was off and running toward a brightly colored booth. Keisha's heart sank when she realized what it was that her daughter had found.
Cheribulum's. The one thing in this dark, red world that made Jeryn's heart sing. "Mama!" the little Storkrin cried, nearly jumping up and down at the sight of the chirping, fuzzy creatures. "Oh Mama, please? Please can I have one?"
Keisha approached the vender, her giant, clawed hands clenched tightly at her sides in nervous anticipation. In Storkrin rune, the sign said that the price was the equivalent of Earth's 50 dollars. Her heart sank even deeper when she looked sadly down at Jeryn and shook her head.
"I'm sorry honey," She kneeled down beside the small girl, taking her hands, "Mommy doesn't have enough for one of these." She tried to force a smile for her daughter, whose face was rapidly becoming a frown. "Let's look for something else, ok honey?"
Jeryn nodded sadly. "Ok Mommy." She said, rubbing at her eyes as tears formed in them.
Keisha stood, giving a reproachful look at the price sign, and back at the Storkrin vender. He shrugged his shoulders, a cruel grin on his features. "Don't come nosssing around here if you can't take the price." He sneered.
"There a problem?"
Keisha whirled at the sound of the regal voice. Before her stood the Sayajin Prince, Vegeta. Without taking a moment to control her surprise, she pushed Jeryn behind her and fixed her eyes on the ground.
"N-no problem." She stammered, her heart pounding wildly. She stood a full 4 feet taller than the man before her, but she was not about to let her Storkrin pride get the better of her. She'd heard stories, enough stories to know that upsetting this man was not the best idea.
Vegeta looked toward the vender, and back at the Storkrin woman before him. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the tiny form being hidden behind its mother. Bulma stepped out from behind him, trying desperately to control the Roctorn's as they struggled to get ahead of her.
"Vegeta, why did we stop? What's." her voice trailed off as she saw the Storkrin woman and her child standing before them. Giving the reins to Vegeta, she approached Keisha with a friendly smile.
"Did he frighten you?" She asked in a soft voice. Keisha looked up, suspicion in her eyes. "Just between you and me," she said behind her hand, "He's a little scary sometimes, but he's really a softie once you get to know him."
"Woman!" Vegeta barked. "What the hell are you saying about me?"
Bulma laughed, stepping back. "Is that your daughter?" She asked, ignoring her fuming lover. She kneeled down beside Keisha's great legs and tried to see the tiny face hiding behind them. "My name is Bulma." She said with a great smile. "What's your name?"
Inside her chest, Keisha's heart began to calm itself. The woman was the Earthling she'd heard so much about. Judging by the way she had approached Jeryn, there seemed to be nothing to worry about. Her great red eyes flickered over to Vegeta and she immediately felt the fear rise up again. She wasn't sure about him.
Jeryn slowly stepped out. "Jeryn." She said around a mouthful of thumb. "Hi."
Bulma giggled. "That's a very nice name." She said. "What are you two doing today?"
Jeryn pulled her thumb from her mouth and giggled loudly, jumping a bit forward. "It's my birfday!" she lisped. "I'm.this many." She said, holding up three fingers.
"Well!" Bulma said, giving Jeryn a secretive smile. "That's a very special birthday."
"Uh huh!" Jeryn said, giggling some more. Keisha's heart lifted as she watched her daughters beautiful smile find its way back to her face.
"We're trying to find a gift, but the prices are so high." Keisha said very quietly, her eyes still fixed on the ground. She noticed the Roctorns for the first time and jumped, startled at their sudden presence. "Roctorns!" She cried, fearfully grabbing Jeryn and lifting her up into her arms. Bulma blinked, looking back to Vegeta, who just glared sullenly. "Oh.did they frighten you? I'm sorry." She said, gathering the reins back in her hand. "They're actually very tame. We raised them." She said proudly.
"Tame Roctorns?" Keisha exclaimed. "How in the universe.?"
Bulma smiled. "Say." she said, "Jeryn, do you like big, fuzzy animals?" She asked with a wink.
Jeryn's face transformed from one of remote fear to absolute glee. "Yes!" She cried, wiggling her way out of her mother's arms. "I love amimals!"
"Jeryn!" Keisha cried as her daughter ran toward the Roctorn's. She nearly feinted as Stogie approached her and licked her face. Jeryn exploded into giggles, and Keisha visibly relaxed.
"Please," Keisha said, her eyes pleading, "They may be tame, but please do not let my daughter mingle with them. She loves animals so much, it will break her heart to know she can't have them." She said, hurt in her voice, as she bent to gather her daughter back into her arms once more.
"But.there's no price." Bulma said, sounding confused.
"What?" Keisha paused, her hand on Jeryn's arm. "No price.?"
Bulma smiled as she realized the Storkrin's situation. "That's right, no price. As you may have noticed, I am Bulma, the Earthling that accompanied the high Prince Vegeta," She gestured to him, ignoring the suddenly regal change in his posture, "to R'haksin."
Keisha held on to her daughter, hesitation in her eyes. "Pleased.to meet you." She said softly.
"Pleased to meet you as well." Bulma replied. "We are on our way back to Earth, and we have been trying to find a good home for these Roctorn pups, as we can't take them back with us. If it is your daughter's birthday, that's occasion enough. Have them!" She handed the reins to Keisha, who took them hesitantly. "No price."
Jeryn's eyes filled with tears of happiness. "Can we mommy? Can we?" She squealed, her tiny, chubby hands groping at the mass of Roctorn fur. "Please?"
Keisha looked at the Roctorns, at her daughter, and back at the Roctorn's. They milled about her legs happily, sniffing and wagging their tails as she giggled and hugged them one after the other. She hadn't seen her daughter so happy in ages. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat.
She looked to Bulma, who was watching Jeryn play with the Roctorns. "It's a shame you're leaving." She said quietly. "It's very difficult to find kind souls such as yours on this desolate planet."
Bulma smiled softly. "Things will get better. The new Council will make sure your daughter has the requirements her life needs. I personally know Arden, and he is a good man."
Keisha smiled, showing her teeth. The effect would have been terrifying, had Bulma not been able to see how kind Keisha was. "They will have a wonderful life with Jeryn." Keisha said. "Thank you very much."
From behind them, Vegeta rolled his eyes and snorted in disgust. Though inside, even if he would never admit it, he felt a strange pride in watching Bulma make the young child so very happy.
"Happy birthday, Jeryn." Bulma said. She smiled at the both of them before turning to go back to Vegeta.
Stogie turned his head at the sound of his master's footsteps. She was walking away from them, and out of habit, he turned to follow. A strange thing happened.he couldn't. Stogie growled in frustration as he strained against the leash, but the small creature holding him would not allow him to follow. He turned his pleading red eyes up to Bulma and cocked his head, confused. What was happening?
It was the moment Bulma had been dreading. She turned to the Roctorns, most of whom were all giving her the same lopsided, but confused, grins. She spread her hands and waved them away. "Go on, Stogie." She said quietly, trying to force a smile on her face. "Its ok. Jeryn will take good care of you."
Stogie whined, thumping his tails on the ground. It must be a game they were playing. It must be.wasn't it?
"You can't come with us, Stogie." Bulma said, trying to talk through the sudden lump forming deep in her throat. "You'll be happy with Jeryn." She walked over to him and kneeled down, laughing through tears as they all jumped to lick her face. "Goodbye." She whispered against Stogie's fur as he nuzzled into her neck. "I'll miss you guys. Be good for Jeryn." She said as she stood. Stogie bayed happily as Bulma's hand remained on his head. Good! They were leaving, now. He couldn't wait to get home and have lunch, he was starving.
Then Bulma turned and walked quickly to Vegeta, who, surprisingly, placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Stogie cocked his head again. What was happening? "It was fun." Vegeta said quietly. Then they began to walk away.
Bulma flinched inwardly as Stogie and the Roctorn's began to howl and whine. Their confused, betrayed barks rose over the clamor of the Storkrin marketplace and wrenched into her heart like a searing blade.
"Vegeta." She sobbed. "I can't.."
"Just keep walking." Vegeta said gruffly, pushing her gently ahead. Bulma could hear the hurt in his voice, though he masked it well. "If you stop, they'll just think you're coming back."
Stogie lurched against the restrains of his leash, digging his heels into the dirt and straining to go after his masters. Why were they walking away, without them? What was going on? Didn't they want them anymore? Keisha's hands held he and his brothers steady, preventing his efforts. He didn't want to stay with these people! Lifting his head to the sky he opened his mouth and let out a long, wailing howl, his front paws in the air, his back legs planed firmly in the ground, as he watched the only parents he'd ever known leave him behind.
And he felt betrayed.
Authors Notes: Well, this one's a heart breaker. Tissue-alert! It's short, but I hope you guys like it, anyway.
Jeryn plodded along her mother's side, her small clawed hand nestled within the other Storkrin's much larger one. She was smiling, oblivious to the fact that she was one of the very few Storkrin children with their real mother left. Had she been older than two, she would have been able to comprehend exactly what that meant. Even on a Planet where she would probably not live past the age of 30, due to the fact that she was female, she still found enough reason to fit the grin in with her schedule.
Today was her third birthday. In the mind of a child, that was more than enough reason to smile. She had her mother, Keisha, had been wandering the outskirts of the R'haksin markets, trying to find something suitable for a young Storkrin's birthday gift.
Keisha looked down at her child. As small as she was, she was very important. Born from a womb that had been Fortricres free, Jeryn would not suffer the terrible disease if she continued to keep herself healthy. It was a marvel to live on R'haksin now. The Psytrim were depleting, but while the cure for their disease was leaving them, better things had happened. The arrival of the strange Sayajin Prince and his even stranger Earthling companion had brought about the destruction of every Storkrin woman's biggest fear; The Dungeons. Not only had they been destroyed, but also many of the females within had been released. Besides The Dungeons being destroyed, a new Council had been established, one that seemed to be none too harsh on Storkrin women. It gave Keisha hope for her daughter, once she was gone.
As they walked along, glancing left and right at the usual R'haksin offers, Keisha felt Jeryn's hand slip from her own. The little Storkrin was off and running toward a brightly colored booth. Keisha's heart sank when she realized what it was that her daughter had found.
Cheribulum's. The one thing in this dark, red world that made Jeryn's heart sing. "Mama!" the little Storkrin cried, nearly jumping up and down at the sight of the chirping, fuzzy creatures. "Oh Mama, please? Please can I have one?"
Keisha approached the vender, her giant, clawed hands clenched tightly at her sides in nervous anticipation. In Storkrin rune, the sign said that the price was the equivalent of Earth's 50 dollars. Her heart sank even deeper when she looked sadly down at Jeryn and shook her head.
"I'm sorry honey," She kneeled down beside the small girl, taking her hands, "Mommy doesn't have enough for one of these." She tried to force a smile for her daughter, whose face was rapidly becoming a frown. "Let's look for something else, ok honey?"
Jeryn nodded sadly. "Ok Mommy." She said, rubbing at her eyes as tears formed in them.
Keisha stood, giving a reproachful look at the price sign, and back at the Storkrin vender. He shrugged his shoulders, a cruel grin on his features. "Don't come nosssing around here if you can't take the price." He sneered.
"There a problem?"
Keisha whirled at the sound of the regal voice. Before her stood the Sayajin Prince, Vegeta. Without taking a moment to control her surprise, she pushed Jeryn behind her and fixed her eyes on the ground.
"N-no problem." She stammered, her heart pounding wildly. She stood a full 4 feet taller than the man before her, but she was not about to let her Storkrin pride get the better of her. She'd heard stories, enough stories to know that upsetting this man was not the best idea.
Vegeta looked toward the vender, and back at the Storkrin woman before him. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the tiny form being hidden behind its mother. Bulma stepped out from behind him, trying desperately to control the Roctorn's as they struggled to get ahead of her.
"Vegeta, why did we stop? What's." her voice trailed off as she saw the Storkrin woman and her child standing before them. Giving the reins to Vegeta, she approached Keisha with a friendly smile.
"Did he frighten you?" She asked in a soft voice. Keisha looked up, suspicion in her eyes. "Just between you and me," she said behind her hand, "He's a little scary sometimes, but he's really a softie once you get to know him."
"Woman!" Vegeta barked. "What the hell are you saying about me?"
Bulma laughed, stepping back. "Is that your daughter?" She asked, ignoring her fuming lover. She kneeled down beside Keisha's great legs and tried to see the tiny face hiding behind them. "My name is Bulma." She said with a great smile. "What's your name?"
Inside her chest, Keisha's heart began to calm itself. The woman was the Earthling she'd heard so much about. Judging by the way she had approached Jeryn, there seemed to be nothing to worry about. Her great red eyes flickered over to Vegeta and she immediately felt the fear rise up again. She wasn't sure about him.
Jeryn slowly stepped out. "Jeryn." She said around a mouthful of thumb. "Hi."
Bulma giggled. "That's a very nice name." She said. "What are you two doing today?"
Jeryn pulled her thumb from her mouth and giggled loudly, jumping a bit forward. "It's my birfday!" she lisped. "I'm.this many." She said, holding up three fingers.
"Well!" Bulma said, giving Jeryn a secretive smile. "That's a very special birthday."
"Uh huh!" Jeryn said, giggling some more. Keisha's heart lifted as she watched her daughters beautiful smile find its way back to her face.
"We're trying to find a gift, but the prices are so high." Keisha said very quietly, her eyes still fixed on the ground. She noticed the Roctorns for the first time and jumped, startled at their sudden presence. "Roctorns!" She cried, fearfully grabbing Jeryn and lifting her up into her arms. Bulma blinked, looking back to Vegeta, who just glared sullenly. "Oh.did they frighten you? I'm sorry." She said, gathering the reins back in her hand. "They're actually very tame. We raised them." She said proudly.
"Tame Roctorns?" Keisha exclaimed. "How in the universe.?"
Bulma smiled. "Say." she said, "Jeryn, do you like big, fuzzy animals?" She asked with a wink.
Jeryn's face transformed from one of remote fear to absolute glee. "Yes!" She cried, wiggling her way out of her mother's arms. "I love amimals!"
"Jeryn!" Keisha cried as her daughter ran toward the Roctorn's. She nearly feinted as Stogie approached her and licked her face. Jeryn exploded into giggles, and Keisha visibly relaxed.
"Please," Keisha said, her eyes pleading, "They may be tame, but please do not let my daughter mingle with them. She loves animals so much, it will break her heart to know she can't have them." She said, hurt in her voice, as she bent to gather her daughter back into her arms once more.
"But.there's no price." Bulma said, sounding confused.
"What?" Keisha paused, her hand on Jeryn's arm. "No price.?"
Bulma smiled as she realized the Storkrin's situation. "That's right, no price. As you may have noticed, I am Bulma, the Earthling that accompanied the high Prince Vegeta," She gestured to him, ignoring the suddenly regal change in his posture, "to R'haksin."
Keisha held on to her daughter, hesitation in her eyes. "Pleased.to meet you." She said softly.
"Pleased to meet you as well." Bulma replied. "We are on our way back to Earth, and we have been trying to find a good home for these Roctorn pups, as we can't take them back with us. If it is your daughter's birthday, that's occasion enough. Have them!" She handed the reins to Keisha, who took them hesitantly. "No price."
Jeryn's eyes filled with tears of happiness. "Can we mommy? Can we?" She squealed, her tiny, chubby hands groping at the mass of Roctorn fur. "Please?"
Keisha looked at the Roctorns, at her daughter, and back at the Roctorn's. They milled about her legs happily, sniffing and wagging their tails as she giggled and hugged them one after the other. She hadn't seen her daughter so happy in ages. Suddenly, she felt a lump in her throat.
She looked to Bulma, who was watching Jeryn play with the Roctorns. "It's a shame you're leaving." She said quietly. "It's very difficult to find kind souls such as yours on this desolate planet."
Bulma smiled softly. "Things will get better. The new Council will make sure your daughter has the requirements her life needs. I personally know Arden, and he is a good man."
Keisha smiled, showing her teeth. The effect would have been terrifying, had Bulma not been able to see how kind Keisha was. "They will have a wonderful life with Jeryn." Keisha said. "Thank you very much."
From behind them, Vegeta rolled his eyes and snorted in disgust. Though inside, even if he would never admit it, he felt a strange pride in watching Bulma make the young child so very happy.
"Happy birthday, Jeryn." Bulma said. She smiled at the both of them before turning to go back to Vegeta.
Stogie turned his head at the sound of his master's footsteps. She was walking away from them, and out of habit, he turned to follow. A strange thing happened.he couldn't. Stogie growled in frustration as he strained against the leash, but the small creature holding him would not allow him to follow. He turned his pleading red eyes up to Bulma and cocked his head, confused. What was happening?
It was the moment Bulma had been dreading. She turned to the Roctorns, most of whom were all giving her the same lopsided, but confused, grins. She spread her hands and waved them away. "Go on, Stogie." She said quietly, trying to force a smile on her face. "Its ok. Jeryn will take good care of you."
Stogie whined, thumping his tails on the ground. It must be a game they were playing. It must be.wasn't it?
"You can't come with us, Stogie." Bulma said, trying to talk through the sudden lump forming deep in her throat. "You'll be happy with Jeryn." She walked over to him and kneeled down, laughing through tears as they all jumped to lick her face. "Goodbye." She whispered against Stogie's fur as he nuzzled into her neck. "I'll miss you guys. Be good for Jeryn." She said as she stood. Stogie bayed happily as Bulma's hand remained on his head. Good! They were leaving, now. He couldn't wait to get home and have lunch, he was starving.
Then Bulma turned and walked quickly to Vegeta, who, surprisingly, placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. Stogie cocked his head again. What was happening? "It was fun." Vegeta said quietly. Then they began to walk away.
Bulma flinched inwardly as Stogie and the Roctorn's began to howl and whine. Their confused, betrayed barks rose over the clamor of the Storkrin marketplace and wrenched into her heart like a searing blade.
"Vegeta." She sobbed. "I can't.."
"Just keep walking." Vegeta said gruffly, pushing her gently ahead. Bulma could hear the hurt in his voice, though he masked it well. "If you stop, they'll just think you're coming back."
Stogie lurched against the restrains of his leash, digging his heels into the dirt and straining to go after his masters. Why were they walking away, without them? What was going on? Didn't they want them anymore? Keisha's hands held he and his brothers steady, preventing his efforts. He didn't want to stay with these people! Lifting his head to the sky he opened his mouth and let out a long, wailing howl, his front paws in the air, his back legs planed firmly in the ground, as he watched the only parents he'd ever known leave him behind.
And he felt betrayed.