I do not own DBZ or William Shakespeare's Henry the fifth.

For those who don't know a hand is the measurement used for horses. From the ground to the last hairs on the wither (the top of the shoulder blade) a hand is 4" or 10.2cm. So Kamikaze is (16x4) 64" plus 3" or 67" from the ground to the highest point of his shoulder blade. For instance most race horses are between 15.2hh(hands high) and 16.2hh. Ponies are (depending on where you live) are classed as being under 14hh or14.2hh. It's a lot more complicated than that so if anyone want's a better explanation just email me.

"Double quotations indicate conversations."

'Single quotations in italics indicate thoughts.'

Glossary :

Ohayo: Good morning

Baka: Idiot

Have you ever been,

Down so far you that,

You have seen,

The earths burning core?

Wars and death.

Living on the

Knife edge,

I've seen it

All before.

Fear vibrated in the air, clouds ominous and dark blocked out the sun. The wind picked up and just as suddenly died. The trees ceased their violent movement. A momentary dark, still, silence reigned. Kamikaze's eyes bulged, dark and luminous against the grey clouds. A bright flame of fear leapt through him. He grew tall and trembled in bare horror. A rapid pulse was visible in his highly distended jugular. 'What is it? This darkness? Surely, the elements are beyond the control of mortal things?' Maya stroked his neck with her small, pale hand. Breathed peace in to him. The stallion stilled. The dark, still, silence grew more foreboding, more disturbing with each heartbeat. Bright green grass quivered at their feet. Conscience thought fell dormant. 'Instinct? The sixth sense?' She did not know. Focused on something inside the ominous darkness. A darkness that passed over heart and mind.

It is said that man may guess but horses know. It is sometimes true of women too. Subconsciously Maya twisted her fingers in Kamikaze's short black mane. Anxiety tore at her and Maya had no doubt, that trouble loomed in the dark sky. From her pocket she produced plaited leather thong and slowly drew it around Kamikaze's neck. 'You'll never control him with that!' Yet, the big horse complied as she turned him towards the stables. She held him lightly her fingers soft, her inner self tense. Kamikaze moved with barely controlled nervous fire. 'He trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.' Maya thought of Shakespeare as she watched Kamikaze's light nervous step. She tried to ignore the oppressive frightening atmosphere. The veins stood out on Kamikaze's beautiful, finely sculpted head. As the ominous feeling closed in. Maya trembled and glanced around. 'Where is it? Who does it seek?' Above her, someone passed some one strong. Someone unknown to her. The twin butterflies of Kamikaze's nostrils trembled. He tossed his head, pinned his ears against his skull. It was so oppressive that it almost over powered rational thought. Certainly, it was frightening. Kamikaze's sharp black ears flashed in fear and confusion. All the beauty had left the day, leaving only vortexes of fear and ruin in its wake.

There is little logic in human behaviour whether under pressure or other wise. One can only guess at what drives each person's heart. Maya trembled, her mind snapped over. 'Kame house? In the ocean. Was that where it was headed? If so why, who was there?' She thought for a few moments dredging up seemingly unimportant information from the recesses of her mind. 'Aha, Gokou!' Subconsciously her left hand had twisted in Kamikaze's mane, her fingers flexed. 'That's hardly wise he's only half broken!' It wasn't, but when the strong unpleasant ki passed over head, again wisdom went with it. She vaulted, her hands only just making it onto Kamikaze's back. The young horse froze, uncertain, no one had ridden him without a bridle before. She pulled herself up with her arms and wriggled into place. Maya's hands were surprisingly steady as she knotted the thong and slipped her fingers between it and Kamikaze's neck. She felt calm again as she sent him in to a walk in the direction of the stables.

Maya slipped the bit between Kamikaze's teeth, before drawing the bridle head over his ears. The polished bit and brass buckles winked in the poor light. The stallion stood like a rock, but for the uncertain flicker of his ears. Maya could fly, but some how she felt it would be better to arrive unannounced. 'Safer, if I fly I'll lose the element of surprise. Since I haven't found a way to fly and suppress my ki. Yet! On foot is far too slow, but on a horse, well that's a better idea. Across country as before, it's both quick and direct. Saffron would be a better choice she's done it all before, although mostly fleeing from trouble. Mostly, saving my sorry hide. But Saffy's in foal.' Maya had no option but to call on Kamikaze. 'I hope he's up to the task. It's a big thing to ask of a young horse, but if I have faith in him he should be ok.' Maya left him ground tied beside the pergola and ran inside.

The sword hung on the wall; it looked strangely innocuous in the pale washed out light. Her hands raised removing sword and scabbard from the rack. Freeze framed in the poor light it could have been any time, any place. Swiftly she grasped the belt, cold hard and familiar in her scarred palms. She clasped the shinning metal belt on reflex. Her heart thudded in anxious anticipation. The wind picked up but remained too fragile to shift any thing more than a single hair. Maya trembled; adrenalin had slowly begun to seep into her blood stream in readiness for the task ahead. She moved slowly so as not to startle Kamikaze. Maya only paused to rub the stallion's forehead.

In her left hand, she took the bridged reins and a handful Kamikaze's pulled black mane. Her other hand lay palm down on the swell of muscle, at the base of the right side of his neck. For a moment, the briefest heartbeat. Maya paused. Gathering her courage, coiling her strength and energy. She vaulted, propelling herself at Kamikaze's 16.3hh back. Maya only just breached it. As the scabbard brushed against his hide, Kamikaze exploded. The stallion, his head up and twisted to one side by the hold on the reins attempted to spring away. Hooves beat air, as his fore legs left the ground. With flared nostrils and wild eyes, he flung himself forward. Everything was super charged. Kamikaze's body gleamed with sweat even in the dull light. Maya lay half on, one hand either side of the muscular black neck, frantic, she pulled her leg over. She sat up right and steadily shortened the laced leather reins.

"Whoa! Whoa boy, easy." Maya's voice was calm, but still demanded obedience. Three years of training paid off the stallion came to a trembling halt. Maya organised them both before she asked him to move off.

For several minutes they walked, though every second Maya's worries grew. As she pressed Kamikaze into a trot, Gokou and some unknown entity passed over head. She held the reins firmly as Kamikaze tried to take off. When he quietened Maya threw caution to the wind, shortened the reins, and pushed Kamikaze in to a canter. She pressed her knees into the natural dip behind the stallion's shoulders. Thus secure she used her weight, legs and hands to balanced him. Slowly Maya let him out from a canter that rapidly became a gallop. The wind created by his speed made her chest ache and her long plait stream out behind. Maya guided him carefully through the trees heading for the coast.

The ground became rocky, slowing them to a trot. The breeze picked up lifting Kamikaze's mane from his hot sweaty neck. Long wisps of hair had come free of Maya's plait, and fluttered about in the growing wind. The metal scabbard winked in the sunlight, startlingly silver against Kamikaze's black coat made blacker by sweat.

Turning along the sand Kamikaze began to gallop. His hooves sunk into the sand; muscles coiled and flexed propelling him a long the beach. The waves glittered blue and green and rose in white foam. Maya crouched over Kamikaze's withers following the rise and fall of his extended neck with her hands. The fine black mane and tail bannered in the wind from his speed. His muscles stretched and contacted beneath her. The soft sand gripped his legs; each step sapped his strength. Carefully Maya guided Kamikaze onto the wet sand left by the retreating tide.

The wet surface gave better traction and the stallion began to accelerate. The waves lapped at Kamikaze's hooves. Maya could sense Gokou clearly now. He and the other unknown warriors had powered up. Maya locked on to their distinct ki and let it guide her to their location. Spray thrown up by the stallion's passage glittered in the air. Kamikaze's quarters rose and fell, he lay his girth close to the ground. Maya followed the downward movement of Kamikaze's neck as he galloped in steady rhythm up the coast. They began to sweat freely and the reins became slippery. Fortunately they were laced and remained firm between her tired fingers. Seagulls rose in squawking white clouds before them, hovering in the air and landing again when they had passed. Eventually Kamikaze slowed of his own accord.

Maya let him walk searching the rocky cliff face for a path. Fine, clean unpolluted sand, made up of iridescence particles, stretched as far as the eye could see. The dark foreboding clouds parted letting streamers of light through. The feeling of impending disaster did not leave. Her hands ached; sticky patches of blood coated the reins. Maya's eyes anxiously scanned the clear horizon; there was nothing just sky, trees, and sea. The stallion was blowing quite badly as they moved up the beach towards a rough track visible between the rocks.

Up hooves dug into the shifting soil as he fought for a grip in the precarious footing. Up, up to the level ground above. Up, to Son Gokou. Effort encompassed them sweat ran freely on their sun drenched skin. Kamikaze's quarters heaved and bunched as he pushed his hind feet into the shifting surface. Their breath came in sobs. Coiled energy vibrated from both of them. The big horse snorted repeatedly as he freed his nostrils of dust and sand. Slender black legs strained under the pressure. Maya helped him all she could. Far below the tide turned. In the distance Gokou and the others powered up, desperation jolted through her. She drove Kamikaze harder, he responded. He leapt forward sand flew into the air. At last, they breasted the cliff and Maya gave Kamikaze his head. She rubbed her knuckles against his neck in thanks. Maya greatly under estimated the stallion, she expected him to stop. Kamikaze did no such thing; he slowed to a trot and followed the path in to the trees.

Maya stiffened, an inhuman scream rent the air. Kamikaze snorted and hesitated. Maya put her open palm against his neck and asked him to go on. The stallion jogged, both tense, waiting for something to happen. The trees moaned in the rising wind. The darkness returned and closed in. Maya 's heart pounded, instinct told her to go back her. Her conscience drove her on. The blood from her open hands left thin vivid streaks down the sweaty black shoulder.

Then she could sense Gohan 'Gohan?' but she was sure. She gripped the reins with renewed determination. Through the trees they cantered Kamikaze back on his hocks. As they followed the track. They burst through the bright green foliage, on a steady wave of courage. On their own line straight and true through the undergrowth. Over half hidden trunks and holes. The light grew less with every stride so that some times they jumped half blind. Maya tried not to think of the fear that slowly worked its way up from her stomach. A blast filled the air. Fear consumed them. Kamikaze snorted in terror and twirled round, only to find himself facing back towards the fight. Maya drove him forward relentlessly.

As they emerged from the trees Kamikaze snorted and shied away from the blood and dust filled air. The wind threw things about in each powerful exhale. The trees and the stallion trembled. Kamikaze clenched and ground his teeth alternately. The old stockman's bit chinked in pained accompaniment. The sound carried, and joined the soft scrape of his restless hooves. His black sweat soaked coat glittered. Maya dismounted and left the stallion ground tied at the edge of the trees. The sword belt grated softly, but was drowned out by the low groans of the wind blown trees. Her eyes dark and anxious filled with gold flecks, flashed over the scene. A younger version of Kami, leaned over a man with long, ragged, black hair and a tail. 'A tail! Just like Gohan's'. The injured man had a huge bloody hole in his chest from which his life blood drained into the earth. As she watched Maya realised that, the tall green man was the complete opposite of Kami. He was without Kami's compassion, and gentleness. His hate filled eyes gleamed with a spiteful satisfaction that was wholly out of place. It was then that she noticed Gokou on the ground some distance away in a similar condition to the man with the tail.

Maya crouched down next to Gokou, anger, and disgust filling her entire being. 'He's beyond help.' She reached out and pressed her fingers against his jugular. Felt the weak thready pulse. Gokou's pain filled eyes flicked open he looked at Maya without recognition. His eyelids fluttered for a moment before they closed again.

"Gokou, what are you?" Her voice tinged with a mixture of awe, disbelief, and annoyance. 'You can not be human. Any human would have been dead before he hit the earth. Yet, you are mortal. You are dying, before your time. Death. Without death there would be no birth.' Her fingers closed on the small knife in her belt. She drew it forth. 'We are born as all living things are. If we are lucky, we grow to maturity and reproduce. If fortune smiles we grow old, but still in the end, we die. We are part of an unbreakable chain. You, Son Gokou are beyond all the help I can give but one.' She unsheathed the knife. Seven inches long, three and a half inches of sharp twin edged blade and an equal length of handle. Old, more a dagger than a knife, it served the same purpose. Waves of pain flowed from Gokou. Blood lay in pools each with a tiny, dull skin. The wind moaned the trees rustled softly politely in quiet respect for the dieing. Maya flexed her fingers on the knife she paused considered. The blood that welled from the hole in Gokou's chest had diminished.

"Maya! Maya!" She stood and swung round to find Yajarobe behind her, hair in his sweaty face. He shook his head, one eye on Piccolo. A furrow appeared above her eyes and still the wind moaned.

"He is in pain. He will not live. Do you treat your friends worse than animals?" Her eyes glinted. Yajarobe stared at her wonderingly. 'She doesn't like killing things. So why?'

"We don't do that. Just wait the others are coming. Surely you don't do this all the time."

"No." Maya glared at Yajarobe insulted.

"But you've done it before, you've killed defenceless people before?" The familiar look of annoyance filled her eyes. She glared; her eyes gleamed even more savagely.

"No. Not defenceless, just those who can not be helped in any other way." Maya glared at him with self righteous fury. Daring Yajarobe to say she was wrong.

"You would leave people to die with half their bodies torn off? It is better to kill them, they suffer less." Yajarobe said nothing; he was entirely speechless. The concept was not new to him. But frankly, it repulsed him, which was part of the reason he now lived with Korin.

(2002)

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