When Earth Arises
Disclaimer: All characters from Circle of Magic, The Circle Opens, The Immortals, The Lioness Quartet, etc. belong to Tamora Pierce. I do not own them. Or characters from Dragonballz, which belong to Mr. Toriyama...anyway
I know this is a weird combination, cross-over, whatever, but then, I'm a weird person. O_^
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"Do not swing!" he ordered. She nodded then tried it again. Piccolo tensed as she raised it, knowing what was going to happens. She thrust the spear forward and it sank deep into the Namek's stomach.
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Chapter Six:
Numair, Daine, Briar and Evvy had been discussing the differences in their magics for about an hour. Actually, Evvy wasn't really doing much but playing with Kitten. Suddenly, Numair looked down at Briar's tattooed hands and raised an eyebrow.
"Why are those tattoos moving?" he asked. Briar grinned and spread his fingers out so as to get a better look at them. The bright red and blue flowers slowly faded to become small purple roses that dotted the now thorny vines.
"I used vegetable dyes," he explained. "But since my magic is plant magic, it affected the dye and got away from me. Now it has a life of its own." Daine leaned forward to get a closer look.
"But why did you dye them in the first place?" she asked. Evvy froze and stared at Briar with wide eyes. Briar said nothing for a moment, thinking. Numair and Daine had been really kind, and he didn't want to lie to them. But if he told the truth… Finally he decided that when it came to his former life as a street rat, it didn't matter much. But Evvy…They must never know about her.
Suddenly, he realized that they were looking at him expectantly. Inwardly tense, he answered. "I used to be in a gang called the Lightnings," he said. "We got caught stealing twice, and they tattooed an 'X' on each hand." He pointed out the area on the web of skin between the thumb and first finger. "Then I got caught a third time, and was sentenced to work at the docks. But then Niko, one of my teachers, you know, the one who sees visions and stuff. Anyway, he found me after having a vision about a boy with plant magic. He took me back to Winding Circle, and," Briar shrugged, then grinned again. "Then they made me respectable-like." Daine smiled back at him.
"You should meet the Lioness's husband," she told him. "George was the Prince of the Thieves' Guild here in Corus. Briar and Evvy looked at the two in shock.
"But you said before that the Lioness's husband was some kind of noble!" Briar exclaimed. Numair nodded with a smile.
"That's right," he said cheerfully. "George was extremely instrumental in helping to save Tortall several years ago from a rather nasty mage. Then, he married Alanna and King Roald died. Jonathan became king and gave him Pirate's Sweep." He gave Evvy a thoughtful look, who was staring at the group with dark solemn eyes, while stroking Kitten. "We have several former slaves here as well. One of them is in the army, a sergeant. They escape and come here for refuge." Briar frowned, confused. "Why here?"
"Slavery is illegal in Tortall," Daine explained. Evvy and Briar exchanged looks, then she spoke up hesitantly.
"I was a slave. Then I escaped and Briar found me." Numair gave her a look of sadness. "You, my dear, are much too young to have experienced such evil. Were you born into it?" He prayed silently, hoping that she was, for to have known a happy family, and to have been made a slave…
She shook her head, her dark curls flopping. "My parents sold me." Daine choked on the mouthful of juice she had just taken and Numair stared at her. She looked down, uncomfortable with their stares. Briar broke in.
"It don't matter now," he said, forgetting his grammar momentarily. "Evvy ain't going to be no slave, she's a mage and my student."
"It doesn't matter, and she isn't going to be," Numair said distractedly. He suddenly got up and left the room. The two blinked with his sudden disappearance, and Daine smiled at them after an indulgent smile after her lover.
"Don't worry about it," she said to their questioning looks. "Numair is like that."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kel gasped as she felt the spear sink into the strange green-skinned being's stomach. She had expected him to dodge. Everyone stood frozen, staring at them. Tears sprang to her eyes and she dropped her hold on the spear.
"I'm sorry," she tried to choke out. Piccolo just looked at her. "Now you got it," he said calmly. He grasped the spear and yanked it from his body with a quick pull. The Shang Wildcat moved up beside him, getting over her shock.
"Come on," she said. "I'll help you to the healers." Piccolo gave her a strange look. "Why?" Suddenly, he turned on Kel, a look of annoyance on his face. "Girl, stop that crying!" he ordered. Kel, shocked, obeyed and wiped her eyes. His face seemed to soften for just an instant and he sighed.
"I'm all right," he told her gruffly. "I let you do that on purpose, so that you would have the right feel. If you made that kind of mistake you did the first time in real battle, you might not get a second. When a spear is swung like a glaive, it looses its effectiveness. A glaive has a large blade that serves as a defense as well as a weapon. A spear, however, does not and that kind of an attack leaves you vulnerable." Suddenly, as if he just realized that he actually said more than five words at once, he snapped his mouth shut. Kel stared at him then nodded uncertainly.
"Are you sure you're all right," she said in a low voice, still a bit upset. He sighed inwardly and lifted the top of his gi slightly. His stomach was completely unmarked. Just as he dropped it, he was hit by two demi-Saiyan cannonballs.
"PICCOLOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!"
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