Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ, or anything in relation to it. DBZ does not own me. There is no owning between us. Sue if ya like…you might get some moths that fly out of my wallet…~^. Note- All other characters belong to moi!
Random dude: Discovered fonts, eh?
Sierrakoi: … Twitch Ya know, you can be reeeeal annoying at times…wait a minute.
Random dude: What? Sweatdrop
Sierrakoi: If you're a -random- dude, how come I keep seeing you if you're random? Is there some sort of…random pattern?
Random dude: What of all randomness are you talking about?
Sierrakoi: Uh…never mind.
Foreign Shadows
'I fear…emotions that eyes cannot see.'
"Please…please…oh Kami, please I-I-I jus'…"
The android smirked maliciously as the human continued to stammer. The human was as pale as snow, sweat racing down the sides of its head and plastering strand of hair along its cheekbones. Its eyes were wide in undeniable fear, the pupil almost a pinprick. It was shaking uncontrollably, teeth chattering, the words it wanted to speak mere ghosts of the torrent of emotions it was experiencing inside. It wore simple clothing, though a bit more haggard; white shirt, brown leggings, darkened skin and hair-when it wasn't scared out of its wits.
Cell smirked again. He loved the effect he had on humans. If he had a conscious he might actually have felt hurt or guilty. But he didn't, at least not one he had identified. Swiveling his head to where he had eye-to-eye contact with the human male, he drilled holes into his form with his gaze. The tail waved, almost detached, the syringe-like end striking more fear into the human than the appearance of the android did.
After a while, though, Cell sometimes became agitated with the monotonous series of reaction he got from humans. Sometimes he would string them along, play with their mind a bit before completing his goal. This time he was seeking information from the human male, who looked to be middle-aged but in good health.
The human, on the other hand, could barely process his thoughts in the presence of the android, Cell. He had been on a simple camping trip with some friends, who now were only remembered by their clothes that were scattered across the camp. He had never believed the demon Cell would return after so long. Was there no end??
More puzzling was the fact that the android had not moved to attack him yet. But this only made the human more nervous. What was he planning to do?
"Your name, human…"
The male jerked. What had he just heard…? Had Cell just asked…for his name?
-Any other time this would be most amusing,- Cell thought smugly. The knowledge that the man was afraid sent pleasant chills throughout him.
"I…I-I…M-my…name…?!" The man stuttered. "T-that…I m-mean…it's…Garter…"
"Garter…" Cell hissed. The man shivered.
-Humans are pathetic.-
"How long has it been since the Cell Games, dear Garter?" Cell asked frostily. Garter gulped, his knees trembling beyond measure.
"I-I…I w-w-would say…mebee 5 years…?"
Cell said nothing. Garter felt his heart skip many beats. Did Cell not want to hear that?
"Five years. Interesting." Cell turned his fearsome gaze from the trembling human and Garter nearly collapsed. "That is all I needed to know."
Garter almost swallowed his heart. He dared not ask Cell if he would let him free, so he merely continued to shake, fearing the sound of his teeth gnashing together would agitate Cell further.
Cell stood for a few moments, then turned his head only slight in Garter's direction.
"That's all the use I have for you," the android drawled.
Garter couldn't even see his tail whip through the air as a bullet would, piercing his flesh and between his ribs, as if into his very soul. He opened his mouth, determined to scream.
G-ULP!
…After a few moments the only remnants of Garter was his clothing.
Cell looked to the sky once more, focusing on its depths. The passing of the human did not phase him.
-Five years…very interesting.-
-_-_-_-
The stranger was receiving stares.
Many stares.
The mysterious android responded to the wide-eyed glancing of humans with a cold glare, versatile enough to shatter glass, and a small shadow of a smirk that passed over its lips. It didn't care what these pathetic beings thought of its appearance. In fact, it was rather amused by the blank facial expressions, or the occasional up-turned nose.
The stranger found itself in a medium-sized building of human architecture, and its mind processed it as a 'store'. It wandered over to a counter where a rather bored-looking teenage worker was reclining in his chair, magazine in hand. The creature looked on quizzically, ignoring the passing humans that occasionally stopped to stare at its 'exotic' clothing and appearance.
The male looked up after a moment, realizing someone was staring at him. Peeping over his magazine, he began- "Set your items on the counter please-" he stopped once he got a good look at who was in front of him.
A woman, maybe 5'6 or so, with black hair complete with white and red stripes. It was pulled back, away from her face. Her clothing was strange and foreign, her skin tanned nicely. Her lips wavered in an indescribable smile/smirk. Her eyes were different, though, carrying an aura unfamiliar to him. One was blue, golden tinged, the other green, golden tinged. She seemed well built for a woman, and she was gazing at him peculiarly.
He straightened himself off, feeling embarrassed. "Well-uh. Sorry about that. It's actually supposed to be my day off-" He stopped as he noticed slight confusion flicker over the woman's face. "Well, anyway…what items do you want to purchase, foreigner?"
"Foreigner?"
It was the first word the android had spoken since she had arrived on earth. Rather absently she had secured her pod and entered the nearest human establishment, a large city. Snatches of conversation and lettering was found everywhere, and after a few moments her internal systems had processed the verbal and written language and defined it. She now knew the human language of this area, but she was still getting used to it. Originally she had been planning to scout the surrounding land around her pod to get her bearings, but toying with these humans might be more fun…
The man was a bit baffled at her emotionless voice. It was soft, yet as hard and cold as steel. It hardly wavered, and had a full purpose in mind. "Yeah…judging by your clothing you seem foreign, unless you just like to dress like that…not that I mind, I mean it's kind of cool…"
The android ignored the man's babbling. He had no idea who he was talking to. He thought she was a mere human…someone 'foreign'. Oh well.
'Foreign'…she liked that sound that word played in the air.
"I am…Foreign," she answered after a pause.
The worker seemed confused. "You are?"
"My name…is Foreign," she repeated, assured.
"Ah. A unique name," the worker mumbled. He straightened his composure. "What is it you wanted, madam?" The woman was beginning to make him confused, and he felt eerily awkward in her presence.
Foreign turned her head to the right then the left, then looked back to the man. "…I don't want anything."
The man was becoming agitated. He had already embarrassed himself once. "Well, if you have nothing to purchase please leave so others can do so, or go find something."
Anger bristled inside of Foreign. Was this mere human ordering her what to do?
She could quickly change that.
"Fool," she growled. The man looked startled.
"Excuse me?" he asked defensively. "I urge you to leave, miss. Or else-"
Like lightning, Foreign's fist lanced out and grabbed the worker by his shirt collar, nearly dragging him across his own desk. The cold chill of a smirk was playing on her lips now, her eyes flashing as the strength within her came easily, effortlessly. The man's eyes widened as pain shot through his neck. The touch of her skin on his neck burned like ice would.
"Don't ever order me," Foreign stated. "You might regret it." With that she let go, the man losing his composure and smacking his chin on the counter. He rubbed it, staring fearfully at the woman before him.
Suddenly she laughed. The laughter was soft, her shoulders shaking slightly as she crossed her arms. This only confused the man further.
"This visit will prove most entertaining," Foreign stated. Ideas flickered in her conscience. "I have changed my mind. I would enjoy purchasing something- clothing. The best you have, yet some that would 'fit in'. I am sure you could manage that. I have…" Foreign paused, the word escaping her. It came a moment later. "…Money."
The man cursed under his breath, not easily forgetting her earlier treatment, but called over an attendant. Fortunately, no one noticed the skirmish break out. It was a slow day.
The attendant returned, various arrays of clothing in hand, looking a bit intimidated by the woman watching. She offered it to Foreign, who took the clothing across one arm and dismissed the attendant with a glance. The attendant, before leaving, pointed in the direction of the changing rooms. "They're in there," she said. Foreign made no move to show she had even listened as she walked over to the rooms built into the side of the store. Clothing was everywhere, hanging on racks. Miscellaneous items also could be seen in the confined space of the store, and Foreign had to chuckle as she closed the door to the small room with a solitary window behind her.
-If only these creatures spent more time on ensuring their survival than appearance…-
-_-_-_-
Cell was walking, deep in thought. He had taken the unnecessary energy from the camp site and was now mapping mentally where he was. No where near any of the towns he had attacked five years ago. Searching through his memory banks, there was information Gero had stored. Using this, Cell determined he wasn't far from Sanrioki, a small but bustling city on the outskirts of a stretch of plains. He was safe, his ki hidden and he could not imagine the Z fighters out here, so far from where they were usually stationed.
His thoughts wandered to his last stay on the planet.
-Son Gohan would be older now, possibly more experienced. But with that foolish mother of his, he couldn't have progressed that far in training…Goku is gone, and that is a relief…-
There was always the possibility of the wandering eye of earth's guardian, Dende he believed, and of course Piccolo fused with Kami, but he was not that worried. As long as he held a low profile and did nothing foolish or was not provoked he could manage to stay hidden until he returned to his true form…
Something caught Cell's eye, sitting atop a low hill on yellow sands. He stopped walking and surveyed it closely.
-A pod…?
-In the open?
-Surely this is no saiyajin trick.-
He did not recognize it of saiyajin make, it was so far away to place any risks on this however. There was only one way to satisfy his curiosity.
He had to be careful and cautious…
And check it out.
-_-_-_-
Foreign walked out of the rooms, dressed in earthling attire. Blue jeans with sneakers and a black tank-top complete with a black leather top that ended abruptly at her elbows. She smirked, her old clothing draped over her arm as she strode up to the worker, who was watching her closely.
"Purchasing that, I take it?" he practically spat.
Foreign's strange good mood did not falter.
"No," she responded, looking him in the eye. "I am taking it."
Before the male could respond her eyebrows arched, her eyes flashing to a mysteriously silver- a faint light emitted from them, and then she closed them. Opening them a moment later they were normal, but the man was not. He stood motionless, a blank expression on his features. Foreign smirked, turning her back to him. He wouldn't be able to move until a few minutes or more, and then his memory would be foggy. She didn't want to run into the humans' pathetic display of security just yet. She began to make her way to the exit, pausing only a second as a strange sight caught her eye.
It was a woman with blue hair, cut just to the tops of her ears, with deep blue eyes. Her skin was a bit on the pale side, and she wore a form-fitting red dress that tied at the back with a yellow scarf around her neck, and comfortable shoes. On one shoulder rested a purse, and with her other hand she was restraining a young boy. The boy was maybe five, six, or seven, (She wasn't good at judging human age), with purple hair and blue eyes. He wore a dark suit with an orange belt and bracers, more of a warrior-dress. He was busy trying to urge his mother, it appeared, to a section of the store that had candies set on display. She was gently, yet firmly steering him to a rack of women's clothing.
For a fleeting moment, Foreign and the young boy locked eyes.
The boy didn't notice and continued to fret with his mother. Foreign was intrigued.
-He's not human. He has ki he has not learned to hide. Feels familiar though.-
She turned, dismissing the matter.
-That calls for further investigation…later.-
At the moment, she felt playful.
Which was usually bad for the ones she 'played' with.
-_-_-_-
"These are the times I don't doubt who your father is!" Bulma scolded her son.
"You promised," Trunks pointed out. "You said I could get some chocolate, 'n I didn't forget!"
"After we get some clothes for you AND myself." Bulma overpowered the boy and dragged him over to the women's department. Trunks scoffed, lowering his head and hoping no one he knew would come by. How come dad always managed to get out of these situations?
As he was checking out the candies on a far shelf, he caught the gaze of a passing woman...
He shuddered.
-_-_-_-
-No one here.-
Cell had been careful, picking his way along the sloping terrain. No one could be sensed for a good distance, no movement caught his eye, not sound was triggered save for the stalks of grass that swayed in the wind. He was 90% sure he was indeed alone, but he was also cautious. Every nerve ending was on edge, ready to make his able to spring away at the right time or- if pushed- forced to attack.
But there was no one there, and Cell became even more curious as he surveyed the pod.
It was definitely not saiyajin make, which ruled out any unwanted visitors. There was no lingering aura of any of the Z fighters around. The runes inscribed on the side were alien, none he was familiar with. Picking his was slowly around it, he frowned. This was indeed unexpected. Was it possible another species had invaded the planet in his absence? A far-off concept- the planet was not that important- but it was a possibility. After he had made a few loops around it, eyeing it like a hostile wolf, he was more confident. Reaching out a hand he touched the cold metal that made up the object.
Electricity sparked from his hand and he growled in rage as pain flooded up his arm, constricting his muscles. He yanked it back, holding it gingerly and snarling at the pod. Trapped, eh? Someone had been careful in leaving it out here.
His fingers burned but the pain eased. Cell took this into consideration.
-Obvious it was not a shock meant to kill. Even a human could have survived that. This security must have a different purpose…-
-_-_-_-
Foreign turned her head. A signal had just echoed from her pod, strong and clear. The signal was caught by her link-up to the pod main console. She chuckled elusively.
"Looks like I have visitors."
She turned toward the direction of the signal, ignoring the passing cars on the streets and humans on the pavement. She smirked and began making her way to it.