Chapter 18
The weeks passed like days to them, but when it was the final week of their year together, time couldn't have gotten any slower. The anticipation was eating away at Katrina and Piccolo, for they didn't tell Gohan yet when the saiyans would arrive. They figured it would be easier if he just found out that very day, which was drawing closer. After all, ignorance is bliss.
The pain of the anticipation was worse for Katrina, for she was hiding more than what Piccolo suspected. She still hadn't told him of her haunting visions, but thankfully she never fainted from them again. Unfortunately however, they came to her in nightmares.
She woke up again in her cold sweat only two days from their arrival. The impact of her nightmares were growing worse and worse as each day ended. She could already feel the vomit rising in her throat as she raced over to the lake.
The only thing she could do was kneel by the bank of the lake and throw up. The taste in her mouth was so horrible that she retched for some time afterwards.
Tears burned in her eyes as she dipped her hands into the cool water and gulped up as much as she could. The water only made the taste in her mouth worse, but it was her only solution. Once her stomach held as much water that she could tolerate, she shakily returned to her feet and stumbled back towards camp.
She was about to sit down when a voice came from the enveloping darkness.
"Now I know that didn't come from the fish."
She turned her head and watched as Piccolo neared her. He had been wearing his turban and shoulder weights more often now, making them heavier each day to prepare. He stopped when he was in front of her.
"I just don't feel well, ok?" She said quickly, turning away from him.
He caught her easily and forced her to face him. "You haven't been feeling well for the past month, Katrina, that excuse isn't going to work this time." He replied. "You've been waking up in the middle of the night for a long time now and I want to know why."
"It's nothing really, just the anxiety." She answered, shaking his grip loose. She was about to walk past him when he grabbed her arm again.
"You've haven't really talked to me since that day, Katrina." He told her. "The day of your last vision, remember?"
"Of course I remember, Piccolo, I'm not that dumb." She snapped back a little harsher than she wanted.
Piccolo was unfazed. "You know, if you keep things locked away for a long time, it can make you sick."
"There's nothing to tell—"
"Oh c'mon, Kat!" He hollered. He turned her around so she was facing him again and he held on to her shoulders tightly. "I know something's up. Just because you can read me doesn't mean that I can't read you too. Ever since that day, you've avoided talking to me at all costs unless I sat you down myself. You've always told me about your visions before, what makes this one so different?"
But Katrina remained silent and lowered her eyes.
Piccolo sighed and rested his forehead on her own. "Kat...please..." He begged. "You've been there for me...let me be there for you..."
Katrina stiffened and looked up at him. "Don't you see?" She asked. "That's what I don't want."
"What do you mean?"
Katrina's eyes wavered. "That day, I realized that I'm too dependent on you. You were right, we probably shouldn't have gotten so close...and maybe that's my fault...but for the past month, I've been trying to become independent so you won't have to protect me when that battle comes." She could feel the tears rising, so she lowered her head.
She could sense that Piccolo was trying to mask his hurt, but it still flooded the clearing. "Is...is that what you really want?"
Katrina nodded with her head down, and she could feel the tears fall down her cheeks and onto the grass under her feet.
Suddenly, she felt his muscular arms come around her tightly. She felt the fluff of his collar brush pass her face when she lifted her face. "Why are you doing this?" She asked, her voice cracking.
"Because I care." He whispered in her ear. His grip tightened slightly when his head lowered. "Because I care."
Katrina didn't know how to react. Her heart told her to just fall into his arms and hold on to him forever, but her mind told her to push him away so that just maybe, the future wouldn't come to pass. He wouldn't have to die for her.
She didn't make a decision, instead she caved in and just cried. She buried her face in his collar and cried uncontrollably. Piccolo just held onto her tightly throughout all the tears.
After a long time, Katrina felt her stomach twisting and she could feel her throat tighten. Piccolo sensed her queasiness and loosened his hold on her. "You're still kind of sick, huh?"
Katrina nodded and noticed that she had been clutching his shirt the entire time.
Piccolo rubbed her arms gently. "I know this little remedy that may help your stomach, and the ingredients shouldn't be too far away. You think you can hold out for another minute or two?"
Katrina nodded again and slowly uncurled her fingers from his shirt. Piccolo nodded and walked off into the forest.
Katrina stepped back and sat down with her back against the tree. She took a hold of the gem that Piccolo gave her and saw that it looked even more beautiful in the moonlight.
What am I supposed to do? She secretly asked herself. Do I push him away for him to live...or... Tears flooded her eyes but she quickly wiped them away on the back of her arm. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. She started to whisper a little tune that she had known all her life,
"Dandan cono si nuh ryona,
Koni tigua su nah luce.
Dandan cono si nuh ryona,
Veras con sine ti kon."
Piccolo, not being that far away, stopped short when he heard what she was singing. He made sure that he had gathered everything that he needed and headed back to camp. He saw her sitting against the tree clutching her gem.
"What was that?" He asked so suddenly that it made Katrina jump.
She blushed slightly. "It's a little tune that I've known all my life. I may not have the best voice, but it's just something that comforts me..."
Piccolo sat down in front of her. "I didn't mean it that way...it's just...those are Namekian words...that's my language."
Katrina blinked. "Really? Do you know what it means?"
Piccolo thought for a moment, then said, "Calm yourself my little—what was that last word?"
"Ryona."
Piccolo shook his head. "Never heard that word before. But anyway," He paused in translation, then continued, "There's no need to cry, calm yourself my little whatever, I will always be there."
Katrina clutched the gem a little tighter. "It sounds like a lullaby..." She mumbled. "My mother probably used to sing it to me..."
"But why would it be in Namekian?" Piccolo thought out loud. "And what does ryona mean?"
Katrina wasn't listening to him. She was staring off into space, seeing if she could remember anything of where that song came from. But she got nothing in return. Finally, she returned her attention to Piccolo. "That was probably a little embarrassing, huh? Sorry."
Piccolo shrugged. "Don't worry about it." Then he pulled out a few herbs from his pockets. "I need to go mix these with some water, then it'll be ready." He stood up and walked over towards the lake.
Katrina watched him leave but then returned her thoughts to her lullaby. I wonder why Piccolo couldn't translate that one word. She thought deeply. It wouldn't be in another language, that would just be dumb.
She was interrupted when Piccolo held out a small canteen towards her. "It may taste bad, but it'll probably help your stomach."
Katrina took it and drank it cautiously. It actually didn't taste half bad, considering that she had only drunk water for the passed year. She gave the canteen back to Piccolo and let the pasty liquid slide down into her stomach.
"Give it a little time." Piccolo said while moving next to her. He gazed at her for a long time before saying, "You're still not going to tell me about your vision, are you?"
Katrina's eyes lowered as she bowed her head away from his gaze. "When it happens," She finally looked over at him. "You'll know..."
Piccolo stared into her eyes compassionately, then replied, "You should try and get some sleep, Kat."
She opened her mouth to say something, but decided not to. Instead, she rested her head sadly on his shoulder and draped an arm over him. She didn't really want to fall asleep, but she knew that he would force her if he had to. She closed her eyes and felt his arm come around her waist, his hand resting on her stomach. His fingers gently rubbed her now muscular stomach, and she could feel his soft breathing on her forehead.
Katrina shut her eyes tightly to prevent the tears from slipping through. If any one of my visions are going to be wrong... She thought, Please let this one be it...