Chapter 23: An Unlikely Ally

1st P.O.V.

Darkling Dimension

"In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came…" I had no idea what time it was, all I knew was that this was my 6th or 7th time singing through The Phantom of the Opera. I was back near the beginning again, singing the title song.

"It isn't helping anymore. Now what? I can't lose my calm. The Empress wins if I do."

I didn't let inner monologue matter anymore since I was alone. They say that talking to yourself is okay as long as you don't answer yourself. Another few hours in this dark hellhole and I might cross that line.

I got up, feeling out my whereabouts, though it wasn't like I'd trip and fall. The room was barley wider than I was.

I started pounding on the wall again, but once more I was alone and no one answered. I leaned against the back wall and stared at the door, begging it to open.

Screams passed by the door, and by scent it was a human. Another one sent to solitary confinement.

"Poor bastard." I muttered, "It's bound to be day by now, unless snoring too loud is damnable. Knowing Empress Katrin, it is."

I heard the squeal of the hinges before I saw the light. Hours in pitch darkness made any light, even soft torchlight, sting my eyes. I felt the hands grab at me before I saw who it was.

Once out of the damned room, I let out a huge sigh of relief. The face of the creature that had freed me made me suck the air back into my lungs. It was the grand Emperor known as Cell.

"Damn you, why are you here?" I hissed, smacking his hand away.

"Be quiet, no one else knows I'm here. Unlike your friend, I am a shape-shifter. Gero thought it best if I could disguise myself when fighting against Kakorot. No one knows I'm here."

"And why are you here?" I growled, baring my canine teeth.

"I am willing to arrange you a means of freedom, if you are willing to take it." he said.

"Why should I trust you? You betrayed me once already, and you're betraying your mate now."

"Don't ask me to explain it, because I can't."

"I don't need your help to escape." I growled.

"You'll need all the help you can get. This is Planet Vegeta, and once the Empress knows you've escaped you'll be hunted from Srath to Jutir."

(Heaven -- hell)

"I think I can handle it." I said, remembering my Saya-jin.

"Incase you change your mind…" Cell went behind me and the collar started to wiggle. He was adjusting it. I didn't like that he was behind me.

"What are you trying to do, blow my head off?"

"Who do you think created these collars? Now hold still… there."

"What did you do?" I asked as he came back around.

"All I could do by honor to my mate. I have made it so you can use your telepathy. If you wish for my help in escaping, we can communicate now. But only the two of us."

"Why should I trust you?" I growled, "How do I know the Empress didn't set me up? How do I know my head won't explode if I try it?"

"You have no guarantees, but please, trust me. I'm all your hope right now. Would you trust the Cell from your universe?"

"With my life." I sighed.

"Then trust me like you would trust him. I didn't set you up Katie, I didn't know Kakorot was following me. Now get back in that damn box of a room, the real guard will be here soon."

"I am not going back in there!"

"If you don't now, you might get stuck in there for an even longer time. I can sense him coming. Trust me."

I don't know why I trusted him, I was a fool. But something in his eyes… it reminded me so much of my best friend.

I complied, though I wasn't one bit happy. The little window on the door slid open, and I could see Cell's eyes shine through. They weren't so dark red anymore.

"Don't tell anyone I was here, and don't act weak. Don't let them know this box scared you, or you'll be sent in again and again. If you change your mind and want my help, just call out mentally. Only I will receive your thoughts. I promise."

"Right, whatever." I said as the little window shut.

Okay, he said the guard was coming… the guard is coming… why isn't the guard here yet!

Every second stretched out into hours as I waited.

Cell… what is he up to? Why would he help me?

The memory of the kiss popped into my mind.

My kiss… could he have felt something besides hate for once? Maybe he just wants me as a pet. To question me about love and hate some more.

The memory of the kiss the Cell in our universe popped into my mind.

I was a lot like Emperor Cell when I was kissed then. I didn't know of love, didn't care either. I was a warrior, a Sayjin fighting for her people. That's exactly what he is doing now!

He's figured it out. He knows this world isn't as good as it looks. He knows the only way to fix it is to stop his mate, and only I could do that.

Then again, I'm getting ahead of myself. I don't know if I can stop her or not. I don't know if that's the reason Cell wants to help me.

I can't trust him. I can escape without his help.

The door latch squeaked at the action of someone opening the door. I leaned against the back wall like I didn't have a care in the world, bluffing my resolve as the same two guards pulled me out of the room.

"How was it, Katie?" the dog-faced guard asked, making sure to say my name with malice.

"A little cramped, but I slept just fine. Nice and dark and quiet." I said, trying not to overact the part. I felt the Sayjin guard shiver as we walked back up hall toward the elevator.

When we got back to the aboveground levels the sun was high in the sky, and it was eerie in the cell halls with the silence.

"You're lucky, you get to eat your lunch before the others, then you're locked in your quarters until work tonight."

"What kind of work?" I asked suspiciously.

"The Empress has a special job picked out just for you, don't worry." The Sayjin guard chuckled.

"Lucky me." I sighed.

I went into the mess hall and had a booger-green blob slapped onto my tray. It looked rock hard and crunchy.

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"I don't know. It was dead, so I cooked it." the cook said, laughing.

"Yummy." I said, making myself eat it before I had to go back to my quarters. I had to keep my strength up, no matter how disgusting or revolting the food was.

XxX

AS22: Okay, loyal readers, my surprise! Remember, I said I had one? Well, here it is, a sneak peak of New Destiny 10, Control.

XxX

(During the training with Piccolo, so you're not totally confused)

New Destiny- Control:

"Alright kitten, aim at the target like I showed you."

I had my bow and arrows, and I had aim on a marker.

"How's my form?" I asked.

"Both eyes open. Use your index finger to help aim." Mychal said.

I did, and when he didn't respond, I took that as a good sign. I aimed and fired. I was off by a few inches.

"Better. I can't believe Piccolo gave you a weapon you couldn't use."

"How was he to know? But I don't see how this will help me with my… other problem."

"You need focus for control, and you need focus to fire an arrow."

"Training hard, kid?" I looked over and saw Piccolo. He was walking toward us, no greeting, just his usual sour face.

"Yeah, I am. Kattalia told me about Gohan. I know where he should be. Now, if he's actually there…"

"But your knowledge of the future-"

"I've witnessed changes. The way I saw this world was without me. Now that I'm here, things have altered."

"Where's the boy?" Piccolo asked.

"Well, I don't know the exact place, but there was a town on the coast near Mt. Paoz that was hit by a tidal wave a while back. He should be there with a bunch of other kids. If he isn't, he's on his way home." I said.

"Kattalia told me what happened." He looked to Mychal. He nodded and left, "She said you lost control completely."

"Yeah, I did. And I was doing so well. I thought I had it under control. I was wrong."

"One of the harshest lessons to learn it the lesson of jumping the gun. You thought you had won, so you let your guard down."

"I realized that last night."

"Just be proud that you figured it out so quickly." Piccolo said, "I better go find the brat. And remember, mortals are in danger when they leave this hollowed ground, even me. Don't." then Piccolo took off.

Mychal came back over and picked out another arrow for me.

"You know, I think he might like you." Mychal said as I started to take aim. I let down the bow and looked at him.

"Piccolo? Liking me? I doubt that."

"Well, he did bring you here, and he's been checking on you, right?"

"We have a common goal to reach in 8 months. If we don't, you can kiss earth goodbye. That's it." I said as I started to aim again.

My ears picked up a small sound, and immediately I 'zoomed in' past the target. A herd of antelope, the same as the other night, was 100 meters past the target. I saw a small one straying from the group.

"Alright kid, aim and fire like last time, but to the left a bit more."

I didn't listen to Mychal. The hackles on my tail came up as I growled. I aimed at the antelope.

"Kid? Kitten? Hey-"

I fired the shot, but I missed the antelope. The herd took off in a run, attaining my interest even more. I dropped the bow and ran off after the herd, chasing down my prey.

Mychal's calls were lost to me as I ran. I leaped over a fallen log and ducked under a low tree branch. I jumped on top of an antelope and started to tear its skin and flesh apart.

The blood… the meat… muscle, fat, organs… it's so… so good…

"Kitten?" I looked over to the intruder and growled. It was Kattalia, and she looked scared, "Growl at me all you want, but look at what you're doing."

I turned and took another mouthful.

"Kattalia?" Mychal had finally caught up with his sister. He saw me and his jaw dropped open.

They might take my meat… I better watch them…

"She's… she's completely lost it. Don't move, she might attack us. You remember what Piccolo said about Son Goku."

Goku? Piccolo? Wait…

I stopped eating and look at them.

Kattalia… Mychal…

"What…" I looked down at the dead beast. I stood up and backed away. I saw blood all over my arms and chest.

"Kitten?"

I puked, and then fell to my knees. I didn't cry, instead I just looked at the dead animal, and then to Kattalia and Mychal.

"I... I did it again… only this time…"

"It'll be okay." Kattalia said.

"No… it won't. No matter what I do… I'll always be a… an animal."

I turned and ran, deeper into the woods, further from the demons and the dead animal. Further and further I ran, into the woods where my animal instincts could be used to their full extent.

XxX

AS22: So, what do you think? It is worth posting soon? It'll be about 3 stories from this one. R&R!