Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, I only own my own characters. Eats a gummi bear
Sierrakoi: I wonder what happens now?
Random dude: Dare I ask?
Sierrakoi: Didn't you just?
Random dude: You're the author, you should be able to answer your own question. Blink
Sierrakoi: Oh....right. o_O;
Cat and Mouse
"We all live to die. Those who fear death can only cower, as they are already slain in soul."
She felt very old all the sudden, though age wasn't a factor in her fabric of self. Foreign sighed, leaning tiredly against the window and looking to the sky. Her eyes, the odd contrast of color and air of gold, roamed across the far slopes of hills. The ki she had felt had passed, hopefully whoever it had been still unaware of her presence. The only one that DID know of her existence was Cell, that strange being she was familiar with, yet knew so little about. Yet somewhere within her she knew he wouldn't tell...he seemed the type that wanted a conflict, something to put his aggression in, and the only other being that would even understand was maybe a few others she knew nothing about that had amounts of ki. But she felt he wouldn't rat on her- the clips of the broadcast she had seen in her pod had given her the impression there was no one else backing up his side but himself.
-This might be more interesting than I first anticipated...- Foreign thought, detached. The sky was dimming, the first brimming of stars revealing themselves in the vastness. Foreign almost looked dreamy for a moment. The sky- space- was an open door to so many possibilities...
But the door was closed for her, at least for now, until her pod restored itself with enough energy for her to leave.
Suddenly an odd feeling sunk into Foreign's chest, which was a bit unnatural.
...Why was she here in the first place?
There was nothing interesting on this planet...there were more exciting planets about in the galaxy...why stay on this one? Why did she land here in the first place?
As she strained to remember- at least FRAGMENTS of something- Foreign found her memory was hazy and quite fogged, a low headache drumming in the back of her head. Headaches indeed were rather unusual in androids, unless it was because of technical difficulties or loose wiring. And in the more biological androids headaches were usually brought on by over straining or large amounts of stress.
When Foreign thought more about that, she realized something else. She didn't want to leave. For some reason she felt like she should stay...at least until something happened...but what? What did she have to do with anything that could possibly happen on this planet?
Frowning, she turned to the main console. The hologram surrounding the pod had long since disappeared, only being activated for a minute or so, and the power supplies were dangerously low. There was a single light on the console that gave off the dimmest of light, and Foreign pushed herself towards it.
"Computer..?"
There was a moment of silence, a drawling buzzing sound, and then a low mechanical voice replied- "Yes?"
"If it won't danger the energy reserves- can you show me my trek to this planet? The route I took?"
Another moment of silence.
"Cannot comply with request. Tracing the route the pod traveled would endanger- if not deplete- the remaining energy the pod possesses," the voice said, monotone.
Foreign sighed.
-So this is my temporary home...-
-_-_-_-
He felt shamed for his quick departure.
-I wasn't afraid. I was cautious,- Cell reminded himself. Yet the words seemed to bounce off instead of being absorbed into his mind, and anger rose as a result. He had not been afraid!
He couldn't risk being seen yet, though the encounter with Foreign did occur, he felt it would not lead to the Z fighters learning of his presence. He was strategic, calculating, INTELLIGENT, and this was all a mere chain of unfortunate events. Events that perhaps he could manipulate for his benefit at a later date...
Cell smirked. He really shouldn't bother himself with such dismal conflicts such as this. It clouded judgment and delayed action. The only thing that he did allow himself to reflect on was the creature...Foreign.
She might be a pawn to be used in his path to domination.
-_-_-_-
After a while Cell moved, cracking his neck. He had been standing in the same spot and position for hours (He had found refuge- at least some camouflage in a small bundle of trees not that far away) , or so it seemed, and his aggressions had diminished. Popping his knuckles he turned to the direction from whence he came. Having laid low a while he doubted Piccolo would be scouting the skies for any unusual activity. Besides, he was anxious to find out whether or not Foreign had contacted Piccolo and told him anything. Though in depths of his being Cell knew she hadn't. He felt, even with only one meeting, that she was like him in many ways. An overseer of games, a contestant, a creature capable of seeing- and piecing together- two sides of a puzzle. As he did, he doubted she would reveal his presence- it would spoil the game they had nonverbally created upon their meeting, a game of cunning and secrecy.
Then again, there was a chance she wouldn't be at the pod- or even a chance she might have moved it during the time lapse.
He supposed he would have to check it out, thought he would try to avoid Foreign. He wanted to observe her more before encountering her again. He felt uncomfortable dealing with one he could not predict, and in order to predict he had to know more about her.
It wasn't like he was tired anyway. He had no need- no use- for sleep of any form, and his body was rejuvenating itself all the time- mostly when he stood still or meditated. Never, not once, had he closed his eyes and slept. He would never need too, and it didn't bother him. So, slowly and without much ki used, Cell fanned his wings and lifted easily off the ground, hovering for a moment before taking off in the direction of the pod.
He longed to be Perfect again...
-_-_-_-
Meanwhile, Foreign was getting ready for another departure.
-I can't just leave my pod out in the open...especially after I felt that ki close by, which was obviously what caused Cell to leave suddenly...which means there are others here on this planet that are knowledgeable about ki and its uses...possible guardians...warriors...- She looked longingly at the pod around her and sighed through her nose. She couldn't stay in here forever though, her pod wouldn't be able to reboot itself for a while. She HAD to do something or she'd drive herself insane; which she felt she had come close to in all her long hours...weeks...months...HOWEVER long it had been that she had been up in space. Her curiosity was only growing as the day passed, and she gave the console one last look- and one last instruction before she made up her mind.
"Computer- is the auto-lock still operating?"
The mechanical voice replied a moment later, though it sounded fainter than it had when the pod had first landed. "Yes. It would take no energy to ensure the auto-lock feature."
Foreign nodded. Good.
She decided she would leave, and just make sure her pod was sealed tightly. That way, without the proper password or knowledge about the machine, no one would be able to get in. The pod was coated in an un-subjecting metal on the outside that came specially from her home planet, that did not melt, crack, crumble, or bend. It had, after all, endured vast meteor storms and energy surges traveling through the galaxy. If someone did manage to find it it was just as well they had not, because they wouldn't be able to do anything with it but admire it.
So with a final deep breath, Foreign stepped out of the pod and into the sunlight. She blinked. Once. Twice. Finally her eyes grew accustomed and she turned. Immediately the hatch closed, clicking shut. To test it she rapped on the door.
Nothing.
Assured that it was indeed locked tightly, Foreign smirked wryly and turned to the open space around her.
She was planning on visiting that city again. This time she was going to thoroughly explore it, and perhaps...well, she was PLANNING on finding out more about Cell. She had a great desire to know more.
She had a sure-fire way NOT to attract attention to herself. A very ingenious ability, acquired only by her...
Oh yes...
-_-_-_-
Cell kept low to the sloping grounds. He had left the protection the trees had provided and was out and about under the sun. Creeping along he narrowed his snake-like eyes, tail whipping behind him. He could JUST see the pod in the distance, and the faint movement caused by Foreign.
Hah!
So she WAS still there.
Attempting to get a little closer, Cell noticed something else. She was leaving. He didn't know where she was heading- and he had no time to wonder before she rose into the air and took off. Frowning, he swiveled his head, following her until she was out of sight. Straining his still-recuperating senses, he was surprised to find she was heading in the direction of a CITY, Sanrioki.
Why was she heading to a city?
-What is she planning?-
He growled, a rumble within his throat as his fists clenched.
The only way to find out was to follow...
He was starting to loathe this game of cat and mouse...
-_-_-_-
Was she still able to do it?
Foreign settled to the ground, only a few meters from the city entrance, a large gate with open doors. There were sidewalks leading inside, and the main street. It seemed a little fancy, but the interior of the city didn't seem to different from the other cities she had caught glimpses of on the screen she had seen on her way to the planet. There was no one positioned outside and there had been no cars coming along as she had landed. Now there was, and she could see people inside. Tossing a few strand of hair over her shoulder, she lowered her head.
She had to still be able to do it...
She closed her eyes.
-Concentrate.-
A tremor raced through her.
-You can still do it.-
After a moment Foreign smirked, raising her head confidently. NOW she wouldn't be able to be noticed...
She strode through the gates, right into the crowds of people bustling up and down the sidewalks, cars whizzing past, signs flashing advertisements with bright neon letters...
But the people who did notice her only looked away, or waved a hello. Some even said, 'Good morning, Briefs!"
All they saw was a familiar blue-haired woman, walking down the sidewalk.
-_-_-_-
Meanwhile...
He laughed...
It was an unbalanced laugh, chilling, whispy...
He looked to be seven feet tall, easy, with green hair pulled tightly back, braided down his sides. He wore a blue cap, plain, and red robes. is skin was white, GHOSTLY white, with faint streaks racing down his arms. On the sides of his rather human-looking face there were horns protruding through the sides of his bottom jaw, curling until they almost touched his mouth. His eyes were pale green- no iris was visible. They were haunting to look upon...
His feet were oddly shaped- his knees were bent backwards, the feet raised up and elongated for balance.
He had his hands- clawed hands- crossed behind him in a very human gesture as he looked on the screen. The air was filled with silence, the only noise was the fading echoes of his previous laughter.
The man peered closer at the screen, chuckled, then flipped it off. The image faded.
He turned, still chuckling.
He was remembering. He also seemed to be speaking with himself as he remembered.
"'You're a fool,' she said.
She laughed, brushing away some hair from her face. She was enjoying it, all of it, and I could barely contain myself to let her continue to breathe. She was denying every chance I gave her- every notion- and dismissing it, treating it like something foolish. And she was the fool.
'I'm giving you a chance- you'd be a true fool to pass it up. It's better than a living death, an endless CYCLE of remembering and forgetting, losing and loving and hating and sorrow that comes as the aftermath... of never knowing your place,' I said.
She turned to me then, frowning. 'Is that a threat?'
I chuckled. 'You can be so shallow, even though I know I created you better. All I need is your willingness, and it would all be settled and there would be no need for monitoring...'
'You're a madman,' she stated simply.
It was my turn to laugh, hard and vigorously, holding my sides as I strained to catch my breath. Now THAT was an observation. But since when does a madman know he's mad?
'I may be 'mad' but because of my madness we are alive and breathing, and it is only a favor to repay me- and the universe, if you see what I mean by that- in doing this task, as enormous and IMPURE as it is. I find it genuinely amusing that it is at this time you call yourself HOLY, when it is you who has the blood on your hands, though visible it is not.'
She was angered then, by mine calling her a liar. She was predictable, but then again it was I who made it that way in the first place. 'You only think you know me.'
'Of course I think I know you, because I DO know you- and you know nothing else then what I do,' I responded.
She growled then, my logic twisting itself into her mind. 'You're MAD. I refuse to do what you ask of me, it's IMPOSSIBLE as well as-'
'Immoral? I thought we already went over that,' I chirped. She was tempted to lunge at me.
'Burn in Hell,' she snarled.
I sighed, reaching for the console. 'Very sorry I had to do this...'
Her eyes widened, her mouth open in protest, fear in her features- the first bit of emotion I had seen her reveal, besides anger and contempt- but I chuckled again I pressed it slowly, willingly.
And that, my friends, was the end of her free will- and the beginning of my conquest..."
The man stopped speaking...
Then erupted into laughter again.
He looked to the ceiling of the domed room, shaking with laughter.
"Oh, my dear FOREIGN...Since when does a mad man know he's mad??!" he cackled.
He suddenly stopped as soon as he had started. He reached, picking up a piece of paper. At the top, in strange handwriting, it read, The Prophecy.
The man shuddered again, eyes flashing.
"A mad man...a mad man...a mad man..." he repeated, chuckling.
End of Episode Bonus!
Sierrakoi: Okay, Trunks, it's still your turn!
Trunks: Well...let me seeeee... Peers around
Random dude: Sweating
Goten: Me! Me, Me!
Sierrakoi: Er...
Trunks: RANDOM DUDE!
Random dude: Practically leaps out of his skin WHAT??
Trunks: Truth or dare!
Random dude: ... Looks to Trunks, obviously not trusting the youngster... ...Truth.
Trunks: Okay...let me see... Rubs his chin is it true...that you're...really random?!
Everyone goes silent, gasping. Crickets chirp.
Random dude: I...I...
Goten: Answer answer answer answer!
Random dude: Thinking about how he would like to sit on Goten right now...
Sierrakoi and Trunks: ANSWER!
Random dude: FINE! I...NO! I'm not random!!
Sierrakoi: Gasp!
Random dude: Sniffs I just thought...you know...random...thoughts...
Goten: Sniffs as well...hugging Sally-Sue-Bob...
Trunks: Sweatdrops
Sierrakoi: Random dude- what makes you not random? Besides...you...uh...appearing all the time?
Random dude: .......
Goten: Somebody has a seeeecret!
Trunks: Badly concealed demonic chuckle
(A/N: Hey again! Wow...the situation is getting weirder and weirder...is it just me, or does that mysterious man freak you out too?! And WHAT IS RANDOM DUDE'S SECRET?? Tune in next time!)