Blending In
6



Tonkeshin's training time was almost up. For months he'd punished his body the same way Nail did when they trained together. He enjoyed every minute of his preparation. When he wasn't training his body, he'd meditate quietly. Pondering his performance in the Tournament, his meeting with Piccolo and wondering why that Namek seemed so gosh-darned familiar.
At night he often dreamed of the Tournament and woke up excited. The closer the big day came, the more each day dragged. Like time was slowing down to taunt him.
He staggered into his bedroom after the day's particularly grueling workout. His whole body screamed for rest. But he ignored it for five more minutes to stretch his tired muscles out. He recently discovered a good stretch after training kept his muscles from cramping in the middle of the night.
"Man. . ." Tonk sat down on the edge of his bed. His stomach gurgled, reminding him of something else. "Maybe I shouldn't have tried that new soda Greg brought me. I really don't see what humans find so funny about 'burping'."
Reaching out, he tapped a button on his bedside clock.
"The time is now. . .eleven p.m.." The talking clock announced.
"Ugh! Okay, fine, I'll go to sleep!"
Tonk laughed at himself a bit. How crazy he must've looked, talking to a clock. He stood up and located the zipper on his tracksuit jacket. Then he stepped out of his pants and left his clothes where they fell.
Training allowed his neglected muscles to bulk up a little bit. Tonk knew the difference was visible to sighted people. He could sure feel it when he washed himself in the shower.
It felt good to be in tip-top shape again.
Tonkeshin felt around the head of the bed, found the edges of the sheets and pulled them down. The warm, pliable mattress felt too inviting to ignore any longer. He flopped onto his back and stared blankly towards the ceiling. Tomorrow morning, Greg would come over to help him pack. Then they'd leave for the airport.
"Here's to tomorrow."
He stretched out under the sheets and closed his eyes. Sleep evaded him for a while, until finally his conscious mind shut off and his subconscious came alive.

Freeza and Nail's power readings both stopped on the island ten miles away from Saichirou's cliff top home. Tonkeshin dropped the pails of water in his hands and raced back to the lake where he left his wooden cane.
He followed the scent of water until he reached the lake. A quick sweep over the dirt found the smooth, hard wooden object.
"I'm coming, Nail!"
The teenaged Namek blasted skyward. He flew with his eyes closed so the violent wind wouldn't dry them out. All he cared about was reaching his teacher. The closer he drew to the fight, the more dread he felt building in his stomach.
Freeza's power flared. Then it took off, heading south. Nail's power was dying. Shrinking away like melting ice on someone's palm.
Tonkeshin landed too quickly. He lost his footing and felt dirt scrape all over his chest and elbows. "Nail? Teacher?"
A soft moan sounded from the left. Tonk shuffled in that direction on the uneven dirt, sometimes tripping over stones. His short wooden cane soon touched something. He dropped it and knelt down to pick up a heavy leather object. Nail's vest.
Tonk donned the garment over his own for safekeeping. He picked up his cane and continued forward, guided by Nail's labored breathing.
His mentor's patient voice called weakly, "Tonkeshin. . .what are you doing here?"
Tonkeshin knelt down. He reached out towards Nail's voice and encountered the warm roundness of his bald head. It was wet and jagged, the skin torn. Tonk touched a finger to his lips and tasted the coppery flavor of blood. A knot formed in his throat.
"I felt your power drop and came to help you fight Freeza." He turned his face and eyes towards his beloved teacher, "Come on, let's get you to a healer."
"Unh. . .I'll be dead before we find one." Nail gurgled, "You have to get. . .get away from here. Mmh. Nobody can beat Freeza. . .unh. . .he's too strong."
Tonkeshin felt Nail's large, strong hand close around his. He squeezed it fiercely. "Don't die, Nail!"
Nail returned the squeeze, "You must leave me. . .mmh. . .the Earthlings are going to summon Porunga to wish their friend back. Unh. . .this is their fight now. Saichirou will soon die and the Dragonballs. . .they will go with him. I hope the Earthlings can. . .ungh. . .mm. . .make their wish in time."
"Then let me stay here with you! You shouldn't have to die alone like this," Tonkeshin pleaded with his teacher. Stinging tears formed in the corners of his eyes.
"Tonkeshin," Nail's long fingers released their grip. Tonkeshin felt them come to rest on his shoulder. Nail remained silent for a moment, gasping for air, "I have taught you. . .everything I know. You've made me so proud."
"That doesn't mean I don't need you anymore!"
Nail chuckled softly, despite the obvious pain it caused him. His breaths sounded shallower and his voice came out weaker, "I'll, unh! still be there. . .to answer your questions. Whenever you doubt yourself. . .think of what I would say. Let that be your guide."
Tonkeshin clenched his teeth together as bitter tears found their way onto his cheeks. He stretched a hand out and traced the familiar shape of Nail's face.
The ridges above his eyes were swollen and damp, and his antennae drooped lifelessly. His nose oozed internal fluids. One cheek felt swollen, the fine bone underneath shattered. Even his mouth was torn and his broken jaw seemed unfamiliar. Tonk wanted to see his teacher's face one more time, but now he wished he hadn't. He didn't want to remember him like this!
"You have to go now. . .please, Tonkeshin. Someone has. . .unh. . .has to guard Saichirou. Please. . .I don't want you to watch me die like this."
Tonk bowed his head and sighed. Violent anger and intense sadness clenched his throat shut. He could barely speak, "Only if you promise to send me a telepathic goodbye when your moment comes."
His teacher's warm fingertips raised up to wipe the tears off his cheeks. "I give you my word."
Tonkeshin choked back a sob. The ache in his chest became unbearable. "I'll never forget you, Nail."
He felt a strong hand grip his arm and squeeze. The undamaged cheekbone under his fingertips rounded. Tonkeshin knew Nail was smiling at him. That familiar smile he remembered touching the first time he looked at Nail's face.
That was how he'd remember him. Smiling at his own fate.
Nail's hand withdrew. He didn't speak again, but he was still breathing.
Tonkeshin stood up. His fist tightened around his wooden cane, which he secured to his belt. He turned away from Nail and took to the air.
But he didn't head for Saichirou's house.
"I'm sorry, Nail, but I can't let Freeza go unpunished for hurting you."
Locating Freeza's massive power wasn't hard. To Tonkeshin it was as obnoxious as someone whistling. He knew he'd feel a little better once he terminated the annoyance.
The strong power stopped a ways off. Tonkeshin heard a raspy, effeminate voice mumble, "The sky, it's black. I don't like this!"
Tonkeshin gathered his courage. He had no idea about Freeza's size, weight or agility. All he knew was that monster left his mentor dying in the dirt. He wanted revenge.
Speeding up, he snarled, "You won't like this either! AAAAHHH!"
"Huh?!"
Tonk's fists bounced off something metallic. Pain startled him. The hard thing didn't even budge! He swung again and hit empty air.
Freeza's voice came from the right, "Stupid Namek! I don't have time to deal with you!"
"You'd better make time, Freeza!"
Tonkeshin charged towards Freeza's angered breathing. Again, his fist hit something solid. A torso this time. And again, it didn't move. It felt like hitting solid metal!
A tiny, smooth hand gripped his throat and squeezed his Adam's apple. "Oh my, you really are spunky. Just like that other Namek I left for dead. Heh, you even dress like him. Well if you've seen one Namek, you've seen them all, I suppose."
"That Namek was my teacher, you monster!" Tonk writhed against Freeza's iron grip. Nothing he did would make the child-sized hand let go. So he reached out, his hand sweeping up Freeza's face. If he gouged this monster's eyes out, he'd have a chance.
The cold, narrow face he touched was smooth with rough patches on either side. Freeza's nose had a rounded tip and his slick lips were small and pouty. This examination took only a second. Tonkeshin jerked his fingertips up towards the Icejin's eyes.
But Freeza turned his head, avoiding the sneaky attack. He gripped Tonkeshin's shoulder with his free hand and drove his knee into his stomach.
"OOF!"
The hand lifted him up again.
"Oh my. A blind Namek. . .and a pathetic excuse for a fighter."
Tonkeshin felt his temper flare. He couldn't talk with the wind knocked out of him. He knew he was going to die. The only thing left to do was give Freeza the Namekian equivallent of the middle finger.
He spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm.
And felt satisfaction when he heard his spit impact the Icejin's cheek.
Freeza didn't like that one bit.
"Fool," he roared, "DIE!"
Energy crackled through Freeza's fist. Tonkeshin felt something burst. He opened his mouth to scream, but he didn't have a throat left.
Freeza's laughter exploded through his dulled sense of hearing. Tonk was too shocked to feel actual pain. Another hand burst through his chest. He tried to gasp. The last thing he remembered was a warm, pulsating object being thrust into his hands.
His own heart.
And then he was falling. . .falling into oblivion.

Tonkeshin jerked awake to the silence of his bedroom. His hands instantly flew to his throat and chest. Both were intact.
So it really was all just a nightmare. A memory he hadn't experienced in a long while. Tonkeshin sat up on the edge of his bed, holding his head in his hands. Cold sweat layered his skin, making him feel slimy. He hurried into the bathroom for a quick shower to wash off.
He entered the room with a towel around his waist and slapped the top of his bedside clock.
"The time is now. . .seven-thirty a.m.."
"Oh, great." He whipped the towel off to dry himself. Then he tossed the towel aside, leaving himself naked, and reached into the closet. Hunting down the clothing he'd set aside for today.
Less than a minute after Tonkeshin pulled on his turtleneck and jeans, he heard someone pound the door.
"Tonk, it's Greg! Open up!"
"Coming!"
Tonk unlocked the door and let his friend in. He pushed it gently shut and turned around. "Whew, had you come two minutes earlier, I wouldn't have heard you. I just got out of the shower."
Greg just coughed a laugh. "Oh well. Hey, are you all right? You look like you saw a ghost or something."
"Nah, just a bad dream before I woke up, that's all." Tonk flashed a smile and let the memory slip back into his subconscious. Excitement for the upcoming week pushed his thoughts outwards. "C'mon, I already have my closet sorted so I can just pull out the clothes I want and pack them. You can label the bags for me."
"No problem."
Both headed into the bedroom. Tonkeshin darted for the closet to extract a suitcase while Greg crackled some of those handy space bags. They really were space savers, Tonk didn't need an extra suitcase for his spare cane and its accessories.
"Okay..." The first thing he packed was his favorite satin shirt and a pair of jeans. Next came a sweatsuit and some extra pairs of boxers. Tonkeshin smiled when he left for the last garment he needed.
He trailed the wall until his fingertips arched on the hallway closet doorknob. Opening the door, he reached inside for the clothing kept securely in a plastic bag. He knelt to pick up another wrapped object on the floor. Staring into space as he gently touched the leathery material inside.
Nail's vest.
It made him smile.
Tonk made a quick decision. He slipped his own vest off the hanger and replaced it with Nail's. Another smile curved his lips upwards. This one's for you, teacher.
"Hey," Greg's hearty voice came from his bedroom doorway, making Tonk's antennae stand on end. "We don't have all day. Are you on a safari or something?"
"Yup. But I'm afraid the pictures I took either have my fingers showing or peoples' heads cut off." Heat flooded Tonkeshin's cheeks. He picked the rawhide shoes up off the floor and used the thread he'd strung through to tie them to the hanger. Then he carried the clothing into the room and placed it gently in the space bag.
"Make sure you label this as my Tournament outfit."
Greg exhaled, "You got it. I already packed your tennis shoes and some socks, all white so you don't have to worry about matching them up. I have one other thing for you."
"Oh?"
Something cool and rectangular slid into Tonkeshin's palm. It had braille on the back. He examined it and flipped the top up. Smooth buttons greeted his fingertips, some labeled with a braille letter. His forehead wrinkled, "A cell phone?"
"It's one of those phones that takes pictures. I have one too. I have all the buttons you need to worry about labeled with a letter. The functions that go with 'em are stuck on the back." Greg's voice hinted a smile.
"I thought I'd get us both one so that, if you go wandering around and get lost, you can just take a picture of where you are and I can either help you out or come find you. A little insurance in case something stupid happens. Just make sure you keep the buttons facing you when you shoot, or you'll end up taking a picture of your nostrils or something."
Tonk laughed, "Gee, and they're such pretty nostrils, too. Oh hey, did you pack my extra folding cane, elastic and tips?"
Greg grabbed Tonkeshin's wrist and placed his hand over the said objects. "All here. Don't worry, I've got you covered. I put new elastic and a fresh tip on the spare while you were messing around in the closet."
"All right, cool." Tonk made one last dash for his bookshelf to extract a few braille books and his slate and stylus. That way he could read if he got bored and write down his experiences for later recall.
Finally, he felt around for the zippers. He smiled as they whirred shut, securing his belongings inside.
Tonk probed around the handle, locating a plastic padlock shaped object. He reached into his pocket for a small device similar to what sighted people used to disarm their car alarms. Pushing a button made the tiny speaker on his suitcase beep. Good, it worked. The handy little thing made locating his luggage much easier.
"Are you all set now?" Greg asked from near the doorway.
"Yeah." Tonkeshin lifted the suitcase and headed into the living room. He grabbed his cane off the table by the door and let gravity unfold it. "Let's rock and roll."
"One last thing."
"What?" Now Tonk was anxious to get out the door.
"Put on some sunglasses. Airports are crazy and not everybody will pay attention to your cane unless they see you wearing sunglasses. Don't ask me why, it's another dumb stereotype, I guess."
"Oh, right. Just a sec." He hurried back into his bedroom and located his shades. He owned several pairs, so he picked through different labels and finally donned his cheapest pair - the ones with plastic frames. They didn't even have a case because they were so cheap, and he wouldn't mind them getting broken or lost.
Tonkeshin quietly joined Greg by the front door and grinned. "Do I look blind enough for you now?"
"Yep. Got your tin cup and pencils?"
Tonk smirked as he ushered Greg outside and locked the door. "Sure I do. They sit on my desk at work and anybody that needs a pencil can take one."
"Good for you." Greg chuckled. Tonkeshin felt a hand shove him lightly towards the stairs. "Let's go. Our chariot awaits."

Author's note: Phew! That was a long chapter. I had a rough time typing out Tonkeshin's nightmare. It's hard to write him in a sad mood because he never stays unhappy for long!

Oh yeah, and I tossed in that little naked bit for the ladies. grin