Set Me Free
A/N: I don't own DBZ. Thanks everyone for the reviews. What do you get when you add a shy cute nerd with a resourceful beauty an old woman's fury and a deserted island? A summer read that loaded with romance, humor and spice for just about anyone, summary after the end of chapter two. I rush towards the end—sorry about that—I'm hoping to add some GV goodness in the next chapter. Thank you everyone for the reviews.
VB
Chapter One
There was a woman holding a child no more than a few weeks old. She was shaking and a few sobs came from that slender woman. A shadow came before her, that of a man. He stood in front of her, his hands stretched out as he took the young baby. The only clue of his identification was that there was a scar upon his cheek.
"…Take care of her for me…if he knew…he'd kill her."
The scene was fading fast and the words were slurring together. It was unclear whether it was the young man that had spoken it or the woman. The soft "I will…" held such sorrow and regret. Everything then faded into the darkness. The sobs of the woman grew fainter and fainter or was it growing clearer and clearer?
The world began to brighten as trees and the sky came into view. A bird flew past up ahead and all was still. Great warmth cleansed the air and its strength loomed over her. Videl stirred. Where was she? Why was she on the ground? Why did her head hurt so much?
Vaguely, she began to put the piece together. Each puzzle piece slowly and cautiously fitted together into her remembrance. Cord…aftershock…rumble…running…hands…saiyans—saiyans! That was it; her last thought of consciousness was that of saiyans. One had captured her. Videl groaned inwardly, she didn't want to think of her fate. She remembered a few women—even men—who had been abused by them. Who had lost their minds and stared blankly murmuring about death and vengeance. She didn't want to become such a puppet of freight and terror.
Videl hesitated and began to move, the arms that held her kept its steel-like hold upon her. She twisted and turned and cursed underneath her breath. It was said saiyans were powerful, yet this one seemed to lack such strength. She noticed his arms which were board and powerful and close to her mouth now. She'd have to brush her teeth after this—she sank her teeth into his skin until she heard him yelp in rage and in pain.
He pushed her off of him and she went sprawling to her feet. She got onto her feet quickly, but so had he. "Dammit, Videl—"
"Tory?" Videl asked cautiously. "Is that you?"
"Of course it's me you numbskull, who else?" He muttered a curse and rubbed his arm. "Damn, you got teeth like some-some—"
"What were you doing sneaking up on me like that? If I had my gun…" she trailed off. Saiyans had armors that were said to deflect bullets; even their bodies could do that!
"Well I saw you heading a bit too close to the cliff and I saw them no good monkeys and I thought you being Videl the stubborn mule, that you'd go and charge at them!"
"Really, Tory, have you such a lack of faith in me?"
"No,—but when it comes to fighting, hell yeah!"
Videl glared at him. "Well they're gone now….well, I think. You didn't really answer my question. What were you doing around here sneaking up on me?"
"I was going to rescue you from the couple of HFIL—but I saw them being carried away by the ambulance."
"I didn't do anything."
"I know you didn't."
Videl shrugged. "Like you said, everyone gets their just dessert and they got theirs. Juts wish I got a few punches in before that aftershock hit. Speaking of which, what took you so long?"
"Saiyans were raiding and destroying the village nearby. I had to stay and take care of the wounded. Oh, and I even saved this girl from being taken captive too."
"And this girl wouldn't happen to be your type of girl, now would she?"
"My type…?"
"Blonde, big boobs, blue eyes, long legged."
"She was a redhead and was petite." He smiled openly. "And boy can she kiss."
"She was traumatized. I don't think she'd give you a once over if she wasn't."
"Funny." He rolled his eyes. "Might wanna get your eyes checked, Videl. I'm not only the most handsome guy around for nothing. I mean how many guys could get a different girl for every day of every year? None, that's how many."
"You gloat enough for the entire male population." Videl looked around. "So where do we go from here?"
"Well, Dr. Brief sr.—not Bulma Briefs father but her grandfather—developed a shield area that should protect us from the saiyans power for a few years. It's at 90 efficient now. It's under ground for the most part and can protect us from being sensed. He used this thing—"he pulled out a scouter. "—that's used to sense life energy and it blocks that ability. It's pretty niftily done. It's in East City. We could make it there by nightfall if we run most of the way and take an aircraft the rest."
"Run?" Videl looked at Tory as if he grew another head. "You do know that's halfway around the world, Tory."
"Yeah, I never knew you to be one to complain." He grinned.
"I don't complain. I'm just wondering if that bite to your arm somehow interfered with your limited thinking."
He rolled his eyes. "You're a riot, Videl. We're both on the track team and we all had to run a good ten miles for practice with Mr. Potter."
"Ok."
"Do you have any supplies? We won't make it without it."
"I just came from a once standing house that barely had enough lining not to mention food."
"Well, we could check out a few stores on the way. Doubt there's anything left but we can grab what we can."
September 15
We have no supplies to use nor did we find any stores with even any crumbles fit for a rat. It's gotten so cold out and I fear if we don't die from being taken captives or being killed, we'll die from starvation. It's official as of today the saiyans are now taking captives by force. Oh who didn't see that coming? Females are a treat and males are for torture. But I fear this is only the beginning, the torment is here to stay.
"Can you stop written in that filly thing and help me make this fire?" Tory snapped.
"Lower your voice, Tory." Videl scoffed. "Besides, how can I see when you're hogging the light?"
"Hogging it?" Tory looked up at the sky. Well, the full moon—."
"They say Saiyans are most revengeful on those nights." Videl tilted her head. "It's red. You know, even the moon has their mark on it, almost as if it too is bleeding."
"You haven't eaten in two days, the moon bleeding? It can't bleed."
Videl opened her mouth to make a smart remark but the rustling in the bushes behind her stopped her. Her heart nearly lugged out of her body and her face paled. Tory too looked ashen by fright and he froze.
His nay-colored eyes, though wide with fear spoke clearly, don't move.
Videl narrowed her eyes. Like if I would! But instead she raised her chin defiantly and her own blue eyes said in a challenging manner why shouldn't I?
Then a great shadow jumped from the bushes and leaped ahead of Tory and stood there. It was no more than a foot high and three feet wide. It was reddish-brown and had a sinister scowl on its face.
A fox! I nearly wet my damnable pants on a damn fox! I should skin it alive for that! Damn animal! Tory thought bitterly. They had only relaxed for a mere second when the rustling began again. The fox had taken a hint and snuck off. Tory scowled. Another one of those stupid things, well I'll show them! He thought and quietly went over to the large bush. He parted it and saw nothing.
"Damn things," He looked back at Videl who merely smirked. He cleared his throat and smiled. "I knew there was nothing to fear. I mean, who'd dare truffle with Tory?"
Videl looked at him curiously until her eyes slowly grew large. "T-Tory…"
He grinned for he was completely oblivious to anything else but a moment of glory. "What's the matter Videl, cat got your tongue?"
Videl shook her head as words began to fail her. She managed to point a shaking finger to whatever or whoever was behind him.
A bear no doubt. Tory thought lamely. Girls can be easily frightened that it's amazing. He'd easily taken down two grizzlies last summer when he had gone camping with his friends from collage. How big could the bears around here be?
Tory smiled and turned around and the next thing both teens knew he'd screamed bloody murder!
Goku's head snapped up. "What is it, dad?" Gohan asked.
"Nothing…thought I heard something. Like a person."
Gohan tapped his scouter. "Don't sense anything. Maybe it's one of those grizzle bears Radittz keeps yapping about." He could still hear his uncle in the distance ranting on and on about them still.
"Yeah…maybe," Goku shrugged. "Now this doesn't count as an official Earth day."
"Right, right," Gohan rolled his eyes. 24 hours, I can make it. Gohan thought with a smug smile.
Videl sighed, just like the movies. Tory had turned pale and was sitting on his buttocks panting. There stood a man tall and brawny glowering at Tory before he took notice of Videl. He stepped closer and Videl saw Tory with his shaking hands, pointed the flashlight at their attacker.
"Swift Wolf," Videl beamed.
Tory blinked. No way. "T-that's…h-him?"
"Videl." Swift Wolf nodded towards her then he looked at the younger man. "And you must be…Tory right?"
"Yes sir," he scrambled to his feet and raced back to Videl. In a lower tone he muttered, "You never mentioned how big he was! So this is Upa's grandfather? The man doesn't look over forty!"
Videl ignored him. "Swift Wolf, how are your people? Have the saiyans…"
"Not yet." Swift Wolf said looking at the darken sky. "But I doubt we can hold them off too long. They want our women as they're slaves and our men as their laborers. We have sworn to fight to the death. We have nothing left to lose and no where left to run." He looked at them now. "What are you two doing out here at this time of night—?"
"—us—what about you! Who goes around scaring the shit out of people?" Tory snapped.
"You bests keep your voice down, young warrior." Swift Wolf scowled. "We haven't much time. I can get you to your destination in a more efficient amount of time." He turned, and walked back into the darkness.
"Oh thanks. No "follow me" or "walk this way, please."!" Tory grumbled. "I wonder if he has any food."
"You gripe too much. Come on before we lose him. They don't call him "swift" for nothing." Videl retorted.
As the walked a few feet from the older man Tory turned to Videl, "You meet him how?"
"About two years ago. Linda sent me off so she and Bollix could be alone." Videl shuddered with disgust. "She sent me to find some stuff like whip cream and such—after all that I heard go on that night, I swore off of anything that had that on it—anyways, I saw this little girl from his tribe was playing in the water and the next thing I knew she was in the water drowning. I got there in time and rescued her but the current was too strong. I thought we were done for because I went down two times already. Luckily, Swift Wolf and a few of the other warriors arrived when his daughter-in-law Silent Wind became aware of her daughter's absence. After they rescued us using a rope he said that such an act was rewarded with a favor. I told him it was ok and but he insisted so I agreed. So I guess this is the favor—survival. He and his people know this forest like the back of their hands. They can blend in with the thinnest trees and smallest bushes. I trust him with my life."
"Is that why Linda tried to hit you with her beer bottle when you came back?"
"Yeah, I was gone for a week because I like his tribe and I learned so really great fighting techniques. But Linda hated "those types of people". Luckily you were there to knock some sense into her."
"Yep." He grinned. "You're one lucky girl."
"Or maybe Linda's the lucky girl. At least you only left her with a few bruises; I would have punched her to an inch of her life. I don't know why I hadn't fought back sooner to that witch and her deadbeat husband."
Tory knew why. She loved her mother, the women she vaguely remembered. And this supposedly friends of hers were the closest thing she had to real life parents. Orphaned as a baby was sad and it didn't help matters when you had lived with two deadbeats for most of your life. Tory was glad none of their horrible habits hadn't rubbed off on Videl.
"If you two would please lower your voices, we needn't let the winds betray us and carry them towards the Saiyans, now do we?" he didn't wait for a response, instead Swift Wolf continued to walk. "We are nearly there. It's a short cut of my people. It's like one of those-those portal things, I think."
Goten groaned, holding his stomach he laid back against his sleeping bag. "Hun-gry!"
"Oh stop complaining." Radittz grunted. "You're a saiyan; don't you dare let your human side get the best of you. Like my brother has—correction, his weak heart."
Kakorat glared at his brother. "Watch it, Radittz. You're treading on thin ice and I don't think mother would appreciate it if I rearranging that thing you call a face, now would she? Though I bet she doesn't mind. I am her favorite, after all." He added the last taunting words with an equally taunting grin.
Radittz lunged at his younger brother but their aunt Celipa intervened. "Oh grow up!" she glowered at them then turned behind her. "Bardock, can't you do something other than mope?"
"I miss Tanpuii." Her old brother shrugged. "Besides they're civilized adults. Daddy can't come to the rescue all the time. Radittz that was a cheap shot and Kakorat, nice come back."
Radittz growled. Bardock shrugged. "Oh yeah…your mother wouldn't like you two fighting on such an important mission. Save the bicker for home." His oldest son seemed a bit satisfied by the outcome as he stalked off. Bardock frowned. "Kakorat I—d"
"Don't worry. I knew fully well when Chichi and I married and mated that I'd have to deal with this type of crap and both Chichi and I decided we'd deal with this together."
"I know…" Bardock continued to frown. "So you took up the old "get a mate for my overly patient son" technique, huh."
"Yeah," Kakorat looked at his son who was meditating. "He doesn't know what he's missing. I mean who else can give a guy the love a mate would?"
"Yep…so I thought you were bringing Chichi along."
"She's still…uhm…next time."
"There may not be a next time. King Vegeta had announced Frieza's getting rather impatient."
"I can't stand the bastard. He's making everyone's lives a living nightmare. Damn him." Kakorat grunted and punched a hole into the ground.
"Hey, watch it. This planet isn't as stable as it used to be nor is it as stable as Planet Vegeta." Bardock scolded.
Kakorat ignored his father, a thing he rarely did. He could count on one hand how many times he'd done that. This was one and the time when he'd wanted to marry Chichi. Kakorat looked up at the sky; the moon had come forth from the bleak gray cloud. Tomorrow…Goku thought with a frown. Tomorrow would be marked as the final few days left of Earth.
A maid of princess Bulma held out the calendar for her mistress and said solemnly but her eyes held a great sorrow within them. "It's been 17 months and nine months and three days your highness."
Bulma nodded and placed a delicately sown tissue with the royal family's crest on it to mouth to muffle the sob-like sounds coming from her mouth.
"What goes on here?" Prince Vegeta inquired. He found his wife sobbing and a maid holding out a calendar with her finger pointing onto a specific date. For a moment he had panicked. He'd begin to think it was their anniversary or some sort of stupid celebration she'd endured on Earth then he realized none of the holidays she'd mentioned to him previously was in that week. Wouldn't she be surprised that I was actually listening to that drivel and not staring at her—poor; I'm turning into one of those perverted saiyans? Vegeta thought with disgust. After a few seconds had passed, he added but she is my mate so I do have the right to ogle her, right? Why am I second guessing myself? My father would have a field day if he knew.
"I—n-nothing sire." The maid dropped to her keens and bowed.
"Doesn't look like nothing to me." Vegeta scowled. He hated when people kept things from him. And if this was some sort of surprise party or anything with the world "surprise" in it he would not be happy. He hated surprises. Vegeta opened his mouth but before he could utter a syllable, Bulma spoke up.
"Leave the poor girl alone." Bulma snapped and looked at the older woman with adoring eyes. "You may leave, Miranda."
"Yes mistress." Arsine practically leapt up as quickly but as politely as possible; grabbing the calendar she'd discarding before and hurried out of the room.
"…Miranda!" Vegeta bellowed.
The older woman sauntered back in slowly and cautiously. "Y-yes sire?"
"The calendar…" he said and three sets of eyes drifted to the small booklet. "May I have it?"
"I—sire…that is to say…I-I-I…" she looked hesitantly at Bulma who nodded. "No y-you may not."
Vegeta's scowl returned with vengeance that it made Miranda flinch. "I beg your pardon?"
She seemed to try very hard not to fall prey to his callous glare. Somehow she summoned enough strength to repeat herself. "I—you sire, may not have it. It is f-for—"
"Me." Bulma supplied seeing Vegeta wouldn't take a hint. "It's a personal thing. As a matter of fact it's a "womanly" thing. I wouldn't want to embarrass you with the menial details." She walked towards the nearest window and opened it. After a moment she spoke not taking her eyes off the outside world. "It's a beautiful day, Vegeta. Birds are singing, the children are playing, the warriors are training, the air smells so fresh and wonderful." She tilted her head. "There's a nightingale over there by that tree by the front gate. Its song is so numinous and yet today it's so sad. Oh, Miranda, be a dear and..."
The older woman nodded, bowed and cast one last glance at the princess. "Yes mistress." she whispered.
Seventeen years, 9 months and three days…my heart is still broken and still lost. Vegeta is so sweet, I love him dearly. I wish things could be different…I hope you are ok out there...wherever you maybe. I will not let them destroy you…Earth will so help me stay where it is. And one day we shall find you. I can hardly wait, and Vegeta too. Bulma thought feeling less foolish since it was her true heart's desire. She was thankful for the mental bond she and Vegeta shared. Though it was possible to turn it off with series of emotions it was a great feeling to know that someone else could know your exact feelings without being told, even though it could get a little crowded.
Vegeta frowned. He hated that flashback so much. He wondered still in vain what the woman was still going on and on about. What did some nightingale have to do with anything? What is with that blasted calendar? What is it that she and that bubbling maid hiding? He was growing more and more frustrated. It had been about two days since that had happened. He sighed. He'd find out eventually. He always did.
Swift Wolf sat n a rock near to the one beautiful but small pond that was contaminated with dirt and blood.
He looked at the dead fish and the ruined grass and trees. "They ruin everything. We have nearly nothing left to feed The People." He sighed. "My visions are lacking with each day and at night I fear to even blink an eye. We are going wry of all this and at some point deep within us we surrender though we do not want to. There's nothing left but the will to carry on and the small dying hope of a future for our children. We are very discouraged now." He used a twig to draw something out that was in his own language. "We will rest for now. We have roughly a few more miles to cover."
Tory practically collapsed onto the grass. Yeah five miles piece of cake, but 20? Now that's pushing it!
"Exactly," Tory said trying to sound cool and collected. "How many is a few?"
"Another 20 I presume."
Tory keeled over and held his hands up into the sky and cried out, "I surrender. Just kill me now."
Videl smiled wryly. "It's a joke, Tory. You know a "Ha-ha" thing."
Tory sat up and saw indeed that the older man had a slight grin on his face. "Ha...ha?" Tory asked cautiously.
Swift Wolf's gin widened. "Yes." He shrugged. "I'm sill learning. I tend to flop at times. But your expression was priceless."
Tory glared him down and it seemed he ignored that fact that the older man maybe older than him but certainly much more stronger and faster than him. "A joke?—a joke!" he roared. "Dude, you don't joke about that type of thing! I almost had a nervous breakdown over here—!" he stopped abruptly when a groaning sound came from his stomach that made Tory blush with embarrassment. "Err…"
"We will eat." Swift Wolf said solemnly with a curt nod that left no room for argument. Tory merely nodded finding that he had no strength to argue even if he wanted to, which in this case he didn't. He began to think of his favorite foods, with most of them fitting in the category of fast foods.
Tory's brain began to ramble on and on as the images came forth all juicy, tasty and so tempting that his mouth surprising began to water. Burgers...fries…chicken…hot wings…oh yeah…pizza…hoagies…cookies…yummy...
"I'll go get the fire wood." Videl offered.
"We will create a low fire." Swift Wolf murmured as he walked towards the lake. "We shall make do with whatever those beasts have left."
Videl nodded and walked silently back into the woods. It took a while but she'd collected enough firewood to create a low fire. She was so hungry and she heard he stomach grumble and groan to confirm it. She also felt dizzy too. It took a while for her to even remember the last meal that she'd actually felt full.
"You're tougher than this, Videl." She scolded herself softly. "You do not need to faint nor do you need to lie down."
She cursed underneath her breath when a sharp branch cut her leg. Kneeling down she saw it was merely a scratch but if she got back to camp quick enough she could have it bandaged without giving it time to start to bleed. Videl frowned. She needed more twigs. Chances were Swift Wolf too would be hungrier than she and Tory put together. She crept towards the far ends of the forest and peered over the large trees. "Oh good heavens…" she managed to say. She was sure that if she were some naïve person she'd have fainted or had screamed by now. Saiyans…were they following us or had we barely moved in the 20 miles that we did?
"Gohan…" the voice was as soft as the wind and as delicate as the finest of silk.
Gohan shifted in his sleep. "…Mm?"
"Gohan…come to me…I'm waiting for you…"
"Where are you?" he found himself saying in his sleep.
"I'll always be where you want me to be. Gohan…save me…" the woman came from the bright light. Her entire body, from head to toe clothed in white and in blood. Her voice grew faint and frightened. "I'm dying…and you have not yet found me…we believe together…you'll see…" she'd had gasped suddenly as a great dark hand grasped her around the face and the next thing he knew was he'd heard her scream and there was blood everywhere!
Gohan gasped and lunged forward. It took him a while for his heart to slow down its rapid beating. He found by touching his forehead that he'd been sweating in his dream. He never did before. That girl…
He'd never seen her before. She seemed scared of something and whatever that something was it had killed her. He never had a dream like this. It was freighting to say the least and so real, so terrifyingly real.
Then it hit him like a bucket of cold water. The Fates, it was part of the ritual that he'd be shown a vision. Did that mean his supposing mate was dying or dead? Gohan sat up and ran his hands through his hair. He felt a brush of wind coming from behind him and his vision still blurry from coming out so quickly from his dream gave him a hazing looking image of a feminine figure. When he'd blinked, it was gone. Gohan stopped up and frowned. He needed so water—he made a face—and a bath.
Oh Kami! Videl panted heavily. Had he seen her? Kami she hoped not. She was not looking to become one of those monster's captives. She knew the stories, knew of the hardships and horrors that awaited a captive. Not wanting to chance it, she took shallow and soft deep breaths to calm herself.
In all her rush she'd dropped the twigs and had ducked to blend in with the trees. She was glad that it was dark and she blended in fairly well since the moon hardly was glowing as it did on an average night. Picking up the once forgotten twigs and branches, Videl moved hastily yet cautious back to camp. Don't want to lead them back to the hideout. She thought.
Rice Cakes…crème puffs…soufflés…yum… Tory snapped out of his thoughts when he found a dead cooked but seriously disfigured fish before him. Underneath this fish was a large green leaf that was clearly a substitute for a plate. Tory frowned.
"Eat up." Videl said simply and began to eat her own.
Tory paled. "You actually expect me to…" his stomach protested loudly. "Ok...ok you win."
After eating the meal in silence, Swift Wolf stood up. "We must go now. The saiyans are known for getting up at ridiculous time of the night."
Tory grumbled, "But we just eat. Can't we sleep a bit?"
Swift Wolf frowned. "When we reach the haven then you will sleep. Time is of the essence. And if we do not reach it, do not show them your weakness. To show that is death. Let us go now. " He looked again at the moon.
As the night progressed the journey seemed endless and the prize seemed like an illusion. Time after time they did rest but for only a few minutes primarily for stocking up on food and water if they were lucky. Swift Wolf paused and listened to the wind's low howl. "She is angry. Her world is disintegrating around her. She seeks vengeance."
"Who is she?" Tory asked with one eye open and tried in vain to stifle a yawn.
"The mother of Earth. She cries each day as her people are slaughtered." Swift Wolf explained remembering the daily rainstorms that lasted for hours.
Videl nodded.
It took them another two hours before they reached a deserted field. "Oh for Kami sakes, you walked us all this way to a damn field—a damnable field? This was a death march wasn't it? You should have marched us south instead straight to the enemy. Save them a lot of time and save me the pain of walking. "
"This is the haven..." Swift Wolf snapped.
"This dump?" it seemed the ground had shook when he'd bellowed. And the ground beneath them disappeared. "What the hell—?"
A beam of light came from the moon and then a large circle appeared around the cave. "This is the shield Dr. Briefs had created a few days ago. It's perfected with the most up-to-date technology." He turned to Videl as Tory gawked at the large bluish thing. "Be brave. You are destined for great things, Blue Eyes. Do not let them push you down, understand? Your destiny is beginning, you must be ready to answer it—alone."
"Where are you going?" Videl asked.
A lone wolf howled in the night and was soon joined by others. "My brothers are calling me. Go!"
"But I—" she hugged him. "I'll never forget you."
"Nor I… do not give up hope sweet one. We shall meet again." And he was gone as if he were some illusion.
What was she suppose to do now?
TBC…
PAST REVEIWS
Areiko
2005-04-24
ch 1, signed
wow... this was really good. i dont mind the OCC but Goku was just a little... u kno... o well. but i really like it. it was really good. u really got a talent for writing. u must update:adds to faves: this is a great story and u must update soon!
peachchanvidel
2005-04-23
ch 1, signed
plz update soon
the story is great and I want to know what happens next "
add story to fav
simba-rulz
2005-04-23
ch 1, signed
E! I read this and then I realized something...this story is by one of my hostees! XD Hicha, VB! It's Amber. How's life treating you? XD Anywho, I luff the story. GV goodness! Update soon, onegai!
demi-legend
2005-04-23
ch 1, signed
nice start! I wonder what will happen...hrm...either way, good job! I love G/V!
Karii
2005-04-23
ch 1, anonymous
great stroy please review asap
miroku-has-darkness
2005-04-23
ch 1, signed
awesome update soon