So You Wanna Take Over the World
Chapter 9
***
The meditations went very well. Lien picked up on the process quickly and it was easy to transfer whatever thought or feeling I wished to her. With Dende's combined power, we could even set up a kind of link. Enabling all of us to sense the same energy signals. Surprisingly enough, it all worked out as planned.
It was late afternoon when we decided to rest. Lien was a kid and still needed time to goof off between work sessions. Which was fine with me, as I needed the peace. I trained in split form a little, just warming up in case the need to fight arose. As always though, my time alone never lasted long.
"Piccolo?" I stopped mid-kick upon hearing Lien behind me.
"Yes?"
"Can we talk… just for a minute?" She asked. I sighed, merged with my double and turned to face the girl. What could she possibly have to talk about? I drew my eye ridges together in a scowl.
"I thought Popo was showing you the gardens?" I ask, rather annoyed at having been interrupted. Lien glanced down at the tiled floor momentarily before answering.
"He was… but I have something to say… and I don't know if… if we'll see each other after tonight so, I wanted to say thank you. For all you've done to help me." She smiled softly and lifted her gaze to mine. "It's so wonderful to be alive again… I can never repay you."
"It was no problem…" I lied. It had been a problem. Another kid to deal with… more villains. I wish I had just been content with my life. None of this would have come up… I sighed, knowing it wasn't true. This problem would have arisen sooner or later whether I had discovered Lien or not. In fact, if she were not here… this mad scientist guy, whoever he was, would probably have taken us all by surprise. Taking away our advantage. I guess I just needed somebody to blame and Lien was the closest.
"Yes, it was a problem." She said honestly. Apparently reading my expression. I frowned, disgusted for not having kept a better check on my emotions. "You didn't have to come find me. But you did. It means a lot to me." Lien stepped to the edge of the lookout and sat down there, swinging her legs over the drop off. I joined her, sitting in the lotus position and looking down at the small girl. "Why did you come after me? … What made you look in the first place?" Well, one thing about the kid… she didn't talk like one.
"To be honest, it was a selfish reason." I admitted. "I wanted a child… someone I could mold into whatever I wanted. Mostly a leader."
"A leader?" She looked up at me, the dimming rays of the sun making her eyes shine. "For what?"
"That's a long story, kid. We don't have time for reminiscing right now…" I replied. Lien nodded and looked out toward the sunset.
"Even if something goes wrong… and I die tonight or something. I'll be thankful for this day. It was worth any pain… Just to be able to breathe again." She smiled brightly, but I noticed a sheen of tears in her eyes. "Thank you, Piccolo." Before I could tell her that she wasn't going to die or even reassure her in the slightest she stood up and walked back in the direction of the gardens. What a weird kid…
***
The storm came sometime after that… Storms never come to the lookout, but they did that evening. We were forced indoors and none of the others could come and join us for the search effort. Lien insisted we go to their separate homes instead and agree on a different meeting place… but she was nearly swept away by the violent winds after opening the large front doors of the lookout's palace. I grabbed her in time and we took refuge in one of the deeper rooms.
"What could be causing this?" Dende looked worriedly toward me, "Are you sure this never happened before?" I nodded.
"Not so far as I know. But… I only have Kami's memories… none of the other guardians before him." I said, but apparently that did little to settle the young man's fear. Mr. Popo was also worried, he paced the room, his large mouth turned down in a frown.
"Mr. Popo has been here for a very long time and has never seen anything like this…" He had brought one single flower bedded in a pot which he watered incessantly. A stress reliever I guessed. Outside, thunder rolled across the sky.
"It sounds like the whole world is splitting open out there…" Lien shut her eyes and covered her ears, "I've never seen a storm this bad." She screamed as a loud thud sounded outside the door. It sounded almost like…
"Someone knocking?" Dende looked up at me. "Who could be out in something like this? Even Goku would have trouble…" I shrugged and walked to the large double doors, opening one just slightly. Cold wind rushed past me and rain needled my face. Squinting my eyes against the storm, I looked for the source of the noise. No one was out there… but what could have…
"Piccolo!" Dende shouted, his voice high-pitched and panicked. I shut the door quickly and turned.
"What? What's wrong?" I asked. He was silent, eyes wide and frightened. With a shaky hand he pointed to where Lien had been standing.
She was gone.
***
"Kakarotto… What are you waiting for?" Vegeta was flying slightly behind his fellow saiyan, with the rest of the group behind him. Goku had stopped in mid-air.
"A storm…" He said softly.
"Don't be an idiot, there's barely a cloud anywhere… who cares about a storm anyway?" Vegeta scowled and flew up beside the third class baka. Goku pointed up to where the lookout was. The others followed his gaze. About midway between them and the lookout was a dark gray blob completely covering that part of the sky from view.
"Those don't look like clouds, dad…" Gohan stated flying closer to his father. "It kind of looks like that thing that Piccolo-" Gohan was cut-off mid sentence as a gray blur flew past them. A chill filled the air.
"Whoa!" Kuririn yelled, suddenly dropping out of his flight. "Help!" Gohan flew down after him only to begin falling as well. One by one they began to fall. Vegeta and Goku were up the highest and they watched as their comrades dropped like stones in water. Shock now receding, they both dove after the others…
Only to be pulled down…
***
A/N- Well, I'm slowly but surely easing this story along. This chapter did not have as much humor as I wanted, but I was in a rush. I may re-write it later. But for now, I's just goan post it. Hope it wasn't too crappy.