Disclaimer: I do not own any of the DBZ characters. I do not intend to use them for profit. I'd like to own Trunks, but alas, I do not.
Copyright: However, the draqus are MY brainchild. MINE. Don't steal them or I WILL hunt you down.
Chapter One: The Storm Chaser
Namid landed with a soft whoosh, kicking up dust and pebbles into a little twister. Beside her landed an ivory stallion. However, this steed wasn't an ordinary equine. He was a draqus; a menace to the girl's society is left alone in the wild. With fangs, claws on their forelegs, dragon wings and an unquenchable bloodlust, the insidious carnivores were ultimate predators. "Aven, are you sure this is the right place? Every city we've been to has been reduced to rubble and ash!" Namid groaned to her companion as she glanced around the demolished metropolis. The stallion whickered and bobbed his finely sculpted head, he was positive they were on the planet Earth. "I haven't seen a soul!" she moaned, kicking a rock at one of the many crumpled buildings. "Now how am I supposed to find my family?" Sighing, she placed herself on a rock to ponder the morbid situation when a voice broke her concentration.
"How the hell can you still be alive? Buu and Cell destroyed this place! They made it a point to kill everyone in sight!" The girl whipped around finding herself face-to-face with a very odd-looking man. Blinking, she reached out to touch his funny black hair, it was so wild! How did he keep it like that? He blinked and gently removed her hand from his hair. "Are you okay kid?" he asked, slightly concerned with the girl's random actions.
"Fine!" she yelped, jerking her hand back like she'd been stung. Ever protective Aven snorted and leapt between the pair, lashing angrily at the invader. He sunk his razor like fangs deep into the man's flesh, savagely trying to rip off his limb. "Aven, no!" Namid barked, trying to pry the marauder's jaws off the man's arm. "Aven, drop it!" Finally, the beast let go and backed off, still glaring at the stranger while licking the blood from his chin. "I'm so sorry," Namid gasped as his arm began gushing blood. "Here, let me fix that," she said, tearing a bit of cloth from her sleeve the wrap around the wound. They really should stop the bleeding.
"You don't have to," he began to say, but she was already done.
"I'm really sorry about that. Aven is super protective, and rather vicious, and he doesn't like people, and…I'm rambling aren't I?" she paused, catching her breath. "I'm Inhamaid Ellyas, Storm Chaser, the Battle Princess of Commanche…and I dun have a last name… You can call me Namid. And you are?" she asked.
"I'm Son Goku, Warrior of Earth," he answered. Namid blinked. He seemed awfully friendly to be a warrior. "Nice to meet you. And your horse, er whatever it is…"
Aven made a low growl-like noise and bared his fangs again. "Knock it off you twit," Namid grumbled, smacking his muzzle. "Stop being so sensitive. Not everyone knows what a draqus is." She turned back to Goku. "Aven is a draqus…er…a hybrid cross between and dragon and a horse. Back home they are considered a menace. But I like them." She shrugged. "So what is this cell and this…erm…boo you speak of?" she asked.
Goku grimaced. "Two terrible monsters bent on world destruction, or world domination. They haven't decided yet."
Namid chuckled, despite the lack of humor. "Sounds like home," she murmured. "Sounds…fun." Goku stared at her in disbelief.
"Fun? You realize they've almost wiped out the entire human population?" he exclaimed.
She shrugged. "That's too bad, but Kai said you guys have some magic dragon you use to wish 'em all back. But the fights must be exciting!" She grinned. "You mind if I take a shot at 'em?"
Goku blinked. "No…but kid, you'll get your ass handed to you. Why don't you come back with me and train a little. You don't have a family, do you?"
She shook her head. "No. I guess I was kidnapped as a baby and taken to another planet. Kai said I had a family on Earth. So I came." She glanced away. Kai.
Goku was caught in a very uncomfortable place. "Well, Namid, this way to Kami's lookout. Oh, wait! You can't fly! You can just teleport with me."
Namid chuckled, shaking off the overcast memories. "Sure I can." With that, she lifted off the ground, hovering above Goku. He gaped. "Hey, I dun' know the way. You gonna show me 'er what?" He leapt into the sky after her, Aven not far behind the pair of fighters. They remained silent until they touched down at the lookout.
"Hey everyone!" Goku greeted the group. Namid looked at the odd gang of soldiers. One of the guys was green, one had three eyes, one had scars going everywhere, and another guy had purple hair, a woman with blue hair, Gah! What was going on? They were all talking at once, so much noise! Gah!
"Who's that?" the green man mumbled, casting a finger at the girl. Was it her, or was his fingernails black? She shuddered inwardly in disgust.
"Oh, her? That's Namid, and her draqus Aven." He turned to Namid. "That's Piccolo, and there's Krillin, Trunks, Goten…" he rambled off all the names and pointing to their owners. Lots of people to make a mental note of, Namid thought to herself. She realized there was a long silence and heat raised to her face.
"Erm…hello," she said, waving a hand.
"What use is that brat to us?" the one he called Vegeta barked. That man has wild hair too, Namid thought. Well I shouldn't be one to criticize; my hair is kind of odd too. And indeed it was. Her short ebon hair had two natural crimson streaks framing her face.
"Well," Goku started, "she's a fighter from another planet. I thought maybe she could help." Vegeta snorted in disbelief.
"Her? Help us? What a joke!" he scoffed. He began to laugh menacingly, and the other warriors soon joined in, apparently very amused with the statement.
"You?"
"You really think you stand a chance?"
"Girl, you can not imagine the horrors we fight against."
"These monsters are the ultimate fighting creatures." The voices echoed over and over. Namid wasn't sure to whom they belonged, but all these snide remarks were really to tick her off. Grinding her teeth, she fought for her temper until one malicious comment shoved her into rage.
"Who do you think you are, a warrior princess from another planet?" a male teased.
"Yes, I do. I am Inhamaid Ellyas, Battle Prince of Commanche," she answered savagely, silver eyes sparking. The mirth ceased abruptly, the elder members of the Z fighters exchanged glances. That name…
"Battle Prince?" a voice interrupted the thoughts. "Isn't that a guy's title?" a little bald man asked. Namid pinpointed him as Krillin.
"What are you, sexist?" she snapped back. Everyone stared at the girl; her flare in temper had brought a surprising amount of power to her petite body. Behind her, the hueless stallion began to whicker in low tones, flickering his ears in agitation until the tense moment surpassed his manners. Rearing up, talons striking at some invisible foe, the creature let a ferocious bugle rip loose from his lungs, his eyes swirling a burning red. "Aven, no," Namid told her steed, gently petting his muzzle when he touched back down. She knew if she wanted to keep the draqus from attacking, and potentially killing anyone, she'd have to keep her irritability in check.
"Battle Prince, are you?" Namid glanced over her shoulder, identifying the impudent one as Vegeta. Again. What is it with that man? She thought venomously. "Then fight me, the Prince of all Saiya-jins and prove your worth!" Vegeta growled, stepping forward. Goku opened his mouth to say something, but whatever the warning was fell on deaf ears. Namid had been insulted, and the look of sheer hatred made it plain to see she was very pissed off.
"Gladly," she retorted tartly as she strided forward to meet the prince half way. "Aven, stay," she commanded the beast, making sure he didn't interfere during the brawl. Once in the center, the two glared knives at each other, neither backed down an inch. Vegeta had few inches over the seventeen-year-old, it was plain the female could have cared less. Suddenly, Vegeta threw a punch aimed for the girl's face. She caught it without difficulty using one hand. The prince of Saiya-jins raised an eyebrow before launching another fist, this time with more force. She effortlessly deflected that assault too. "When are you going to get serious?" she asked, stormy eyes locked with his before they erupted into an explosion of attacks.
Vegeta snorted at the insult before firing rapid blows from all angles, as well as defending himself as Namid commenced fighting as well. He smirked, just waiting for her to falter. He could keep this up all day, but the little girl should tire out soon. They went about sparring effortlessly for minutes, Namid matching Vegeta blow-for-blow to the surprise of everyone else, and she hadn't even broken a sweat. However, even Namid could tell the arrogant prince was just toying with her. Vegeta grinned sardonically, there it was! He put his hands to her side during her moment of unbalance and "GALIC GUN!" Everyone gasped simultaneously, how could he do that to the poor girl? They watched in silence as the pink blaze swallowed her black frame.
What happened next was even more surprising. Namid had felt the attack coming and had begun a back flip, clearing Vegeta's head as she readied her attack in the midst of his. When she landed, she was right behind the prince, hands glowing, unscathed by his assault. "DARK STORM CANNON!" she yelled, launching a purple beam right into the unsuspecting man's back. Pride is his weakness, she thought as Vegeta was tossed a few yards across the floor before he quickly regained his balance and bounced to his feet. He whipped around, hands glowing with another attack, only to realize his opponent wasn't there. Behind him!
He spun around just in time to get a fist in his temple, drawing a little bit of blood. Namid cursed, shaking her split knuckles in slight pain. Damn that man's head is hard. Sputtering in fury, he carelessly transcended in the state of the Super Saiya-jin, giving the female little hope of survival. With terrifying speed he attacked her, viciously throwing punches and kicks, pummeling the girl. Enraged, he was deaf to the calls of the other Z fighters. The little runt had insulted him! Him! The Prince of Saiya-jins!
Having finally cornered the brat, he prepared himself to perform a much bigger attack than before. He had to hand it to the little warrior; she had spunk. Goku saw the assail coming and was about to jump in when an explosion of chi erupted from the slender girl. She shot headlong towards Vegeta in a blinding light, ramming her head into his. He rolled across the ground before jumping up, glaring daggers at Namid as she wiped a bit of blood trickling down her face. He had made her pay with little wounds. He suddenly realized she had deflected the attack. His face faltered, eyes widening in disbelief. It couldn't be! She couldn't have!
"Your hair!"