Chapter Eighteen: A Mark, A Mission, A Brand New Scar
A/N: Sorry for the minor Dashbaord Confessional rip off but it worked. I, by the way, own no rights to the aforementioned band, its songs, and all that good stuff. Please no flames for the chapter title I swear to Kami it'll make perfect sense!
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"Are you sure this thing will work?" Heroli looked on apprehensively.
"Of course! I built it didn't I?" Bulma exclaimed defensively.
"Well not for this specific purpose..." He went on.
"Yes but all I had to do was remove the software and hardware to dive into her memory. Now all it is, is a standard suspended animation tank." Bulma beamed proudly.
"How do you know it will fulfill all the criteria King Kai outlined?" He was still skeptical.
"Ok look Kid, if the Nameks could do it, so can I!" Bulma said a little irritated as she fired up the machine. Kaykora lay inside hooked up to several wires and a breathing apparatus. The whole thing hearkened back to Frieza and the healing chambers. The tank began filling with water and Kaykora soon floated into view of the window. Baby Trunks and Goten both reached up their arms toward the tank and made grabbing motions.
"Sorry, Hun but she won't be out to play for awhile." Chichi said comforting her tot.
"Yeah speaking of which, how long do you think it will take for her to regain her life force energy?" Goku said titling his head.
"I'm not sure but the machine is set to automatically de-activate when she does." Bulma said with a distinctly prideful smile on herself. Everyone nodded in approval.
Weeks went by and then months and things went on business as usual with the exception of one minor detail. Vegeta moped around the Capsule Corp compound seemingly lost and depressed.
"What's wrong Veg?" Bulma finally asked one day as she noticed he'd been staring blankly out of the same window for several hours now.
"Nothing." He said in a quiet and irritated tone.
"You miss her huh?" Bulma said smiling.
"Who?" Vegeta asked giving her an irritated look to match his tone.
"Oh you know." Bulma nudged his arm.
"If you're referring to the kid I don't. I just have no will to train without a fight to prepare for." Vegeta said turning his attention back to the window.
"That never stopped you before." Bulma smiled and nudged him again. "Admit it! You miss her running around her and training with you and giving you Hell!" Bulma said tickling him.
"Hmph." Was her only answer. After a moment or two he added. "Perhaps."
"Oh Vegeta, I know you care about her like your own daughter. I saw how you, Goku and Bardock all got teary eyed and choked up when you thought she died." Bulma said smiling and stepping in front of him.
"The likelihood that she is my daughter is very low Bulma. You know that. But she is a strong girl with the heart of a true warrior and any being Saiyan or otherwise should be proud to call her their daughter. Whoever her father is he's a very lucky man." Vegeta said turning and walking away.
"Vegeta." Bulma called after him. "Do you wish she were your daughter?"
Vegeta stopped and looked at her with a very serious look on his face. "Don't we all?" He turned and walked away toward the labs, one of which contained Kaykora. Bulma smiled and nodded. Trunks started crying and she hurried to him.
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"It's time I go home and do my job. It's time I acted like the Princess I am and be with my people and guide them." Kaykora thought as she regained consciousness. "Caristo was right, I haven't been at all what I claim to be. I'm almost 13 in mind and body Sure that young but there are bigger things at work in the universe and I can't help but think I'm part of it."
"24 hours to de-activation sequence start." The computer behind him said in it's flowing speech. Vegeta turned and looked at it.
"Bulma!" He yelled moving to the door. She rushed in with Trunks in one arm.
"What! What is it?! Is something wrong?" She said frantically looking around the lab.
"The computer said the de-activation sequence would begin in 24 hours." Vegeta replied calmly.
"You called me in her for that!" She screeched flustered. "All that means in 48 hours she'll be out." She said walking away.
Vegeta turned his gaze back to the tank before leaving the room. As he reached the door an eerie feeling came over him. He turned to look at Kaykora again but something just didn't seem right. Vegeta shrugged and walked away.
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Several happy faces greeted Kaykora as the door of the tank lifted up and she stepped out. She shivered in the chill air of the dark lab being in only shorts and a tank top. She flung a wayward strand of soaking wet hair out of her face. "Uhhh... Hi everyone." She said waving slightly. "Can I have a towel or something?" She asked meekly.
"Oh of course!" Bulma exclaimed pushing out of the room. While she was gone, Kaykora sot Vegeta a brief look. He stood in the back with his arms crossed over his chest leaned against the wall. He had a small, out of place smile on his face and Kaykora realized then that he really did care. He'd never come out and say it she thought; but now she knew.
Bulma charged back in with a big white fluffy towel in hand. "Come on, we ave a surprise for you." She said happily wrapping the towel around Kaykora and pulling her out of the crowded room.
"Oh Bulma, I hope you didn't go to too much trouble." Kaykora said humbly.
"No trouble at all. Talinia helped out a lot; she designed it. And Chichi helped get it together." Bulma replied cheerfully leading Kaykora upstairs to the living quarters. They reached the guestroom that had been permanently assigned to Kaykora. "Now close your eyes." She did so and Bulma opened the door. And led her through.
"Open up." Talinia beamed. When she opened her eyes Kaykora saw Talinia and Chichi beaming with pride and holding a matching light blue gown and robe. She almost instantly started crying.
"They look exactly like my Mother's!" Kaykora choked out as she fingered one of the sleeves. "Right down to the embroidery!" Kaykora leapt forward embracing the two women who smiled and winked at Bulma. "Thank-you so much!"
"We thought you might want something to remember your Mother by so why not have it pull double duty and have she remember us too." Bulma said choking up a bit herself.
"What do you mean?" Kaykora looked around.
"Kaya go buh-bye." Trunks cried out sadly from Dalina's arms.
"You squealed on me!" Kaykora mused tickling Trunks. "I'd talk to him telepathically when I'd hear him crying. I had planned on telling you all today..." She said sadly looking at the floor.
"We understand Goku said popping his head in the doorway. "You need to be with your people now. You need to help them defeat the Grand Matron."
"Some of us are going to come back with you. You want to use the training we received her to train others. We want Archenakia and Arial to have defense." Dalina said with a serious tone. "We will fight the Grand Matron together, as a single people."
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Kaykora and Heroli stood in front of a fleet of three ships, two containing three passengers, one yet to be filled. They stood facing the Z Fighters. Kaykora's heart mixed with an array of emotions. But some stood out more than others. She was disappointed that coming here had been a waste in her search for her father. On the other hand she gained so many friends that would be with her forever and she learned to fight and control her powers far better than she would have. Perhaps her dream was just a dream meant to bring her here to train like this so she may defeat the Grand Matron on her own. Perhaps her father really was dead and this was the Ancients way of working everything out. Her mind now settled, she prepared for the hardest good-bye she would ever make.
"Thank-you Mr. Piccolo, it has been truly an honor to train under a Namek of your strength. I only hope that if I continue training I may one day return and be a more fitting match for you skills." Heroli said bowing to his former master.
"You have great potential. Train hard and I don't doubt that you and I will have a great fight one day." Piccolo said with a smile.
"I'll miss you Gohan." Kaykora a started by hugging her dear friend. Gohan sniffed and Kaykora knew he wasn't talking because he was trying to hold back the tears. "Thank-you for pushing my intellect and knowledge Miss Chichi. Maybe next time I come you'll have more books for me to read! And thank-you for keeping my mind busy Goten!" She tickled him gently.
She hugged Bardock. "Thank-you for you guidance and wisdom. Goku, I'll always be light of heart and spirit because of you." She paused and quietly approached Vegeta. "But because of you, I'm now a superior fighter and best ready to defend my people. Also you have made me tough enough to accept and handle my future role of Queen." She wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled her head into his stomach. Vegeta looked shocked, then angry; finally he gave in and hugged her back.
"Good luck kid." He said quietly. Kaykora broke the embrace and turned to leave. "Kaykora." He called out. She stopped and looked at him. "This is for you. Don't open it until you're on the ship though. And you had better continue training. I expect a damn good match when you return." He said with a smile as he reached out and handed her a small box.
"I will if you will!" She answered with a laugh. Vegeta smiled and nodded. "Good-bye everyone! I promise I'll come back and visit!"
"You'd better!" Chichi and Bulma said in teary unison. "Thank-you Bulma for trying to help me! Good luck with this!" Kaykora said tossing her a Capsule. Bulma caught it and looked it over a minute. "That's kinda a present for you future self. Something you didn't get to tinker with the last time you saw it."
They boarded the ship and the door closed behind them. One by one the ships lifted from the ground and shot into the heaven's.
Kaykora sat by herself at the helm of the ship. Heroli and Dalina had already entered suspended animation in preparation for the one-year trip. She gingerly undid what was clearly Bulma's wrap job and opened the beautiful wooden box beneath. A note rested on top of a round wrapped object.
Kaykora, This means more to you then it does to me. Perhaps one day you look at this and it will help you remember you father who ever he maybe. Once it was the symbol of a great and powerful Elite of the strongest race in the universe; a symbol of pride and strength. Now it is merely a trinket of a lost and forgotten world. I hope you will look upon it and remember the bonds you formed during you stay on this planet and will never forget those who will always truly care about you. -Vegeta
She unwrapped the round object and tears streamed down her face. She gazed on the pendant engraved with the seal of the Elites. A pain shot through her heart as she realized she'd left behind far more than she had originally thought. She slipped the pendant on and entered her suspended animation chamber knowing that right now this was best. One day she would return to the family she left behind and all would be well again. She clenched the pendant tightly as the water rose up and she drifted off to sleep.
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I wonder if you're listening/ Picking up on the signals/ Sent back from within/ Sometimes it feels like I don't really know what's going on/ Time and time again it seems like everything is wrong in here
But there's still tomorrow/ Forget the sorrow/ And I can be on the last train home/ Watch it pass the day/ As it fades away/ No more time to care/ No more time, today – Lost Prophets "Last Train Home"
A/N: Sorry for the minor Dashbaord Confessional rip off but it worked. I, by the way, own no rights to the aforementioned band, its songs, and all that good stuff. Please no flames for the chapter title I swear to Kami it'll make perfect sense!
~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ----------
"Are you sure this thing will work?" Heroli looked on apprehensively.
"Of course! I built it didn't I?" Bulma exclaimed defensively.
"Well not for this specific purpose..." He went on.
"Yes but all I had to do was remove the software and hardware to dive into her memory. Now all it is, is a standard suspended animation tank." Bulma beamed proudly.
"How do you know it will fulfill all the criteria King Kai outlined?" He was still skeptical.
"Ok look Kid, if the Nameks could do it, so can I!" Bulma said a little irritated as she fired up the machine. Kaykora lay inside hooked up to several wires and a breathing apparatus. The whole thing hearkened back to Frieza and the healing chambers. The tank began filling with water and Kaykora soon floated into view of the window. Baby Trunks and Goten both reached up their arms toward the tank and made grabbing motions.
"Sorry, Hun but she won't be out to play for awhile." Chichi said comforting her tot.
"Yeah speaking of which, how long do you think it will take for her to regain her life force energy?" Goku said titling his head.
"I'm not sure but the machine is set to automatically de-activate when she does." Bulma said with a distinctly prideful smile on herself. Everyone nodded in approval.
Weeks went by and then months and things went on business as usual with the exception of one minor detail. Vegeta moped around the Capsule Corp compound seemingly lost and depressed.
"What's wrong Veg?" Bulma finally asked one day as she noticed he'd been staring blankly out of the same window for several hours now.
"Nothing." He said in a quiet and irritated tone.
"You miss her huh?" Bulma said smiling.
"Who?" Vegeta asked giving her an irritated look to match his tone.
"Oh you know." Bulma nudged his arm.
"If you're referring to the kid I don't. I just have no will to train without a fight to prepare for." Vegeta said turning his attention back to the window.
"That never stopped you before." Bulma smiled and nudged him again. "Admit it! You miss her running around her and training with you and giving you Hell!" Bulma said tickling him.
"Hmph." Was her only answer. After a moment or two he added. "Perhaps."
"Oh Vegeta, I know you care about her like your own daughter. I saw how you, Goku and Bardock all got teary eyed and choked up when you thought she died." Bulma said smiling and stepping in front of him.
"The likelihood that she is my daughter is very low Bulma. You know that. But she is a strong girl with the heart of a true warrior and any being Saiyan or otherwise should be proud to call her their daughter. Whoever her father is he's a very lucky man." Vegeta said turning and walking away.
"Vegeta." Bulma called after him. "Do you wish she were your daughter?"
Vegeta stopped and looked at her with a very serious look on his face. "Don't we all?" He turned and walked away toward the labs, one of which contained Kaykora. Bulma smiled and nodded. Trunks started crying and she hurried to him.
~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ----------
"It's time I go home and do my job. It's time I acted like the Princess I am and be with my people and guide them." Kaykora thought as she regained consciousness. "Caristo was right, I haven't been at all what I claim to be. I'm almost 13 in mind and body Sure that young but there are bigger things at work in the universe and I can't help but think I'm part of it."
"24 hours to de-activation sequence start." The computer behind him said in it's flowing speech. Vegeta turned and looked at it.
"Bulma!" He yelled moving to the door. She rushed in with Trunks in one arm.
"What! What is it?! Is something wrong?" She said frantically looking around the lab.
"The computer said the de-activation sequence would begin in 24 hours." Vegeta replied calmly.
"You called me in her for that!" She screeched flustered. "All that means in 48 hours she'll be out." She said walking away.
Vegeta turned his gaze back to the tank before leaving the room. As he reached the door an eerie feeling came over him. He turned to look at Kaykora again but something just didn't seem right. Vegeta shrugged and walked away.
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Several happy faces greeted Kaykora as the door of the tank lifted up and she stepped out. She shivered in the chill air of the dark lab being in only shorts and a tank top. She flung a wayward strand of soaking wet hair out of her face. "Uhhh... Hi everyone." She said waving slightly. "Can I have a towel or something?" She asked meekly.
"Oh of course!" Bulma exclaimed pushing out of the room. While she was gone, Kaykora sot Vegeta a brief look. He stood in the back with his arms crossed over his chest leaned against the wall. He had a small, out of place smile on his face and Kaykora realized then that he really did care. He'd never come out and say it she thought; but now she knew.
Bulma charged back in with a big white fluffy towel in hand. "Come on, we ave a surprise for you." She said happily wrapping the towel around Kaykora and pulling her out of the crowded room.
"Oh Bulma, I hope you didn't go to too much trouble." Kaykora said humbly.
"No trouble at all. Talinia helped out a lot; she designed it. And Chichi helped get it together." Bulma replied cheerfully leading Kaykora upstairs to the living quarters. They reached the guestroom that had been permanently assigned to Kaykora. "Now close your eyes." She did so and Bulma opened the door. And led her through.
"Open up." Talinia beamed. When she opened her eyes Kaykora saw Talinia and Chichi beaming with pride and holding a matching light blue gown and robe. She almost instantly started crying.
"They look exactly like my Mother's!" Kaykora choked out as she fingered one of the sleeves. "Right down to the embroidery!" Kaykora leapt forward embracing the two women who smiled and winked at Bulma. "Thank-you so much!"
"We thought you might want something to remember your Mother by so why not have it pull double duty and have she remember us too." Bulma said choking up a bit herself.
"What do you mean?" Kaykora looked around.
"Kaya go buh-bye." Trunks cried out sadly from Dalina's arms.
"You squealed on me!" Kaykora mused tickling Trunks. "I'd talk to him telepathically when I'd hear him crying. I had planned on telling you all today..." She said sadly looking at the floor.
"We understand Goku said popping his head in the doorway. "You need to be with your people now. You need to help them defeat the Grand Matron."
"Some of us are going to come back with you. You want to use the training we received her to train others. We want Archenakia and Arial to have defense." Dalina said with a serious tone. "We will fight the Grand Matron together, as a single people."
~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- ~~~~~~~~~~ ----------
Kaykora and Heroli stood in front of a fleet of three ships, two containing three passengers, one yet to be filled. They stood facing the Z Fighters. Kaykora's heart mixed with an array of emotions. But some stood out more than others. She was disappointed that coming here had been a waste in her search for her father. On the other hand she gained so many friends that would be with her forever and she learned to fight and control her powers far better than she would have. Perhaps her dream was just a dream meant to bring her here to train like this so she may defeat the Grand Matron on her own. Perhaps her father really was dead and this was the Ancients way of working everything out. Her mind now settled, she prepared for the hardest good-bye she would ever make.
"Thank-you Mr. Piccolo, it has been truly an honor to train under a Namek of your strength. I only hope that if I continue training I may one day return and be a more fitting match for you skills." Heroli said bowing to his former master.
"You have great potential. Train hard and I don't doubt that you and I will have a great fight one day." Piccolo said with a smile.
"I'll miss you Gohan." Kaykora a started by hugging her dear friend. Gohan sniffed and Kaykora knew he wasn't talking because he was trying to hold back the tears. "Thank-you for pushing my intellect and knowledge Miss Chichi. Maybe next time I come you'll have more books for me to read! And thank-you for keeping my mind busy Goten!" She tickled him gently.
She hugged Bardock. "Thank-you for you guidance and wisdom. Goku, I'll always be light of heart and spirit because of you." She paused and quietly approached Vegeta. "But because of you, I'm now a superior fighter and best ready to defend my people. Also you have made me tough enough to accept and handle my future role of Queen." She wrapped her arms around his waist and nuzzled her head into his stomach. Vegeta looked shocked, then angry; finally he gave in and hugged her back.
"Good luck kid." He said quietly. Kaykora broke the embrace and turned to leave. "Kaykora." He called out. She stopped and looked at him. "This is for you. Don't open it until you're on the ship though. And you had better continue training. I expect a damn good match when you return." He said with a smile as he reached out and handed her a small box.
"I will if you will!" She answered with a laugh. Vegeta smiled and nodded. "Good-bye everyone! I promise I'll come back and visit!"
"You'd better!" Chichi and Bulma said in teary unison. "Thank-you Bulma for trying to help me! Good luck with this!" Kaykora said tossing her a Capsule. Bulma caught it and looked it over a minute. "That's kinda a present for you future self. Something you didn't get to tinker with the last time you saw it."
They boarded the ship and the door closed behind them. One by one the ships lifted from the ground and shot into the heaven's.
Kaykora sat by herself at the helm of the ship. Heroli and Dalina had already entered suspended animation in preparation for the one-year trip. She gingerly undid what was clearly Bulma's wrap job and opened the beautiful wooden box beneath. A note rested on top of a round wrapped object.
Kaykora, This means more to you then it does to me. Perhaps one day you look at this and it will help you remember you father who ever he maybe. Once it was the symbol of a great and powerful Elite of the strongest race in the universe; a symbol of pride and strength. Now it is merely a trinket of a lost and forgotten world. I hope you will look upon it and remember the bonds you formed during you stay on this planet and will never forget those who will always truly care about you. -Vegeta
She unwrapped the round object and tears streamed down her face. She gazed on the pendant engraved with the seal of the Elites. A pain shot through her heart as she realized she'd left behind far more than she had originally thought. She slipped the pendant on and entered her suspended animation chamber knowing that right now this was best. One day she would return to the family she left behind and all would be well again. She clenched the pendant tightly as the water rose up and she drifted off to sleep.
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I wonder if you're listening/ Picking up on the signals/ Sent back from within/ Sometimes it feels like I don't really know what's going on/ Time and time again it seems like everything is wrong in here
But there's still tomorrow/ Forget the sorrow/ And I can be on the last train home/ Watch it pass the day/ As it fades away/ No more time to care/ No more time, today – Lost Prophets "Last Train Home"