Chapter 10: The Tale of the Crystal

1st P.O.V.

I was pacing the Lookout, going back and forth thinking about Codie and what my evil double might do to him.

I couldn't stop them… they were more than our equals, they were more… we have to find them before the portal opens completely…

The others were talking, but they went getting any answers either.

I need more information… I need to know where she's coming from… where would she hide? Why did she take Codie?

"Katrin." I stopped my pacing and looked over at Vegeta.

"Vegeta… I thought I could handle this fight. I thought we were fighting ourselves."

"I know, my double was different. I couldn't figure out his moves." Anger flashed in Vegeta's eyes.

"Wait a minute… that's it."

I walked over to the group, they were beaten and tired, but I knew that if we had to go again they'd be ready.

"Katie?"

"I know what we did wrong." I said.

"Wrong? They were stronger than us, Katie. We didn't do anything wrong." Gohan said.

"No, they aren't, we're all equal. But we're also opposite. We were expecting them to do what we would do in battle, but that's not right."

"What do you mean?" Goten asked.

"They aren't copies of us, they are their own person. We can't expect them to do exactly what we would do in battle. When we face them again, you have to think differently."

"You expect us to change our style of fighting just like that?" Trunks asked. They all looked confused, except Vegeta, who stood behind me and just listened.

"No, that's not it. Think like a bad guy, that's the key. Think of playing dirty, fighting dirty. Use big attacks to throw them off balance, don't let them recover. Laugh at them, taunt them. Treat them like dirt."

I don't know what they thought of my idea, but they agreed to try. I thought it was a stroke of genius on my part.

"Kakorot did good picking you." Vegeta said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Alright, Zinzu beans all around, then we have some hunting to do. we have to find them and save Codie before the portal opens further. Let's go guys!"

"You sound like an army commander." Vegeta snorted, heading toward the bag of Zinzu beans.

Yeah, the commander… that's me. Dammit, why I'd freeze like that? I let her take him. I let Cell- no, it wasn't Cell. That's my problem, I thought, in the back of my mind, that it was Cell. I should have known better. My son is Cell now, and that's all there is to it. Even if my Cell was still alive… I just called him 'my Cell'. He was never mine, but in a way, I was his.

I froze because I thought it was my old friend. I didn't want to fight him. I couldn't make that same mistake again.

"Katie?" I turned to face Mirai, his left eye swollen shut and limping toward me. He was bringing me a Zinzu as he swallowed his own bean. I watched as his face healed before my eyes.

"It looks like Piccolo Daimoa did a number on you." I said.

"Katie, don't be like that." that was all I needed to hear. I let my emotions go, crying. Mirai held me, his slightly larger frame wrapping around my arms as I cried into his chest. Until now I was trying to be logical, to think like a warrior. Only now could I see what had really happened.

"I let them take Codie. I couldn't stop them. I should have been able to, Mirai, but I hesitated."

"That's natural, my love. After all, that was Cell out there."

"No, it was a Darkling. They took Cell. They took my son. Why?"

"I don't know, but I think I was more than just to annoy you."

"You should know it's more than an annoyance." I said, shaking with misery.

"Think on what she said to you earlier. Maybe there's a clue there." Mirai said. He lifted my chin up and wiped my tears away, looking into my dark onyx eyes with his own peacock blue orbs.

"Okay… I'll do that." I got up and took in a big breath. I turned to our friends, our family. They were stretching and flexing their newly rejuvenated muscles.

"Will you be okay?" Mirai asked.

"I don't know. Codie and I… we've been through so much. He never left my side after 17 killed you and the kids, even when I didn't know who he was. He's my Crystal Keeper."

"Let me guess, a Sayjin story?" Mirai asked.

"Yes. Vegeta told it to me. It says that a Sayjin's heart is a crystal. Your courage, your will to live… it all ties into this crystal. On top of that, there is a person, a loved one that guards this crystal. They keep it from breaking. That has to be Codie. Without him, I wouldn't have survived the loss of you and the kids."

"But you lost your memory." Mirai said, confused. I sniggered at him.

"Yes, I did, but that's better then going crazy like Brolly or Tiom, right? It's better than destroying earth, right?"

"So Codie is your Crystal Keeper? And me?"

"You're my soul mate."

"And what is Cell, Katie?"

"Mirai… can't you see it? If my opposite loves him, then that must mean something, right? I loved him, but I wasn't in love with him. I loved him like I loved Piccolo and Goku."

"Then kiss me now and prove it." he said. I happily complied.

I turned back to our friends, healed up now, and decided we had wasted enough time as it is.

"We need to start looking for the Darklings. We'll split up. If you find them, contact me telepathically. I'll be able to hear you, so don't worry about that."

They all agreed and headed off, jumping off the Lookout. Vegeta looked back at me before going.

"I'll get that boy back." He said as he jumped over the edge.

"I don't doubt it at all." I said, heading off in another direction.

The cold air whipped against my face as I flew, thinking more of where they could be than looking for them on the ground. I was hoping I'd sense them as I flew in one direction and tried to think of where they were.

Okay, what did empress Katrin tell me earlier?

She said her parents were dead… she lived with Bardock… she saved Cell because she turned him evil with her Inner Darkness… they must be like my Inner Light…

Should I ask the council for my powers back? No, it's too late for that. I can do this without them.

"…Don't you know anything about your own power?"

But this time it really is my own power. She said it was the real power, not like when I had to reclaim my power from Drazark.

I could go into her universe and get help… couldn't I? No, she took over the universe… that means she killed Frieza and whoever else might have been strong enough to help me.

What else did she say? She was once raped… I remember when that happened to me. I want to curl up in a ball and hide… wait! The perfect place to hide!

After ten years of abuse you'd grow accustomed to the feeling of need to hide. You'd feel safe in a good hiding place, and the perfect place would be somewhere small and dark.

I knew that was it, I knew I was right, no doubts entered my mind.

"Hey guys, its Katie, listen, they'll be hiding out in a cave system. Look for caves!" I ordered telepathically. Following my own orders, I flew off toward the nearest cave system.

Empress Katrin may not be a carbon copy of myself, but I think I know her well enough to guess her behavior. I can all too well remember when Frieza raped me in the illusion. I can still see his face… I can still remember that night. I can still feel the need to hide whenever I think of that night.

I can remember how he looked at me… how he touched me… that tail, Kais that tail… and his eyes… they haunt me in my dreams…

Even now, whenever I made love with Mirai, I'd see that ugly demon's face, laughing as I struggled and screamed. As I begged him mercy and cried tears of fear and hopelessness. I could imagine how my double felt every night for ten years, raped and beaten every night.

One of my own weaknesses was my empathy. Goku's weakness on the same lines was his trustfulness, and Vegeta's is his pride. At the same time, these are strengths. It was too strong for its own good. My armor of love was too strong for its own good. Sometimes I can just visualize myself throwing off that heavy armor, but if I did, I'd be just like Empress Katrin.