Chapter Twenty-One
Immediately, Piccolo reached down and touched Tekoa. It was true. "He's dead alright." He snarled. "What a coward. He shut down his regenerative abilities and chose death, rather than face what he'd done." Piccolo turned around and looked at Gohan. "This is all the proof I need. Whatever happened on that cliff….Rhyne did not jump."
Gohan could hear the assurance in Piccolo's voice and felt somewhat better. "Still….I want to hear it from her." He turned around and looked at Rhyne. "Please…" He said, walking slowly up to her. "I want you back….the girl that I love…the girl that loved me…if that is possible."
Jade didn't know what to say, but she was unable to take her eyes away from this young man's face. Something about it seemed to be drawing her closer and closer, but to what she did not know.
"I think Jade has had enough for one afternoon." Sabrina said, noticing how uncomfortable the young girl was acting. "Perhaps you could show us where we'll be sleeping."
"Of course." Kami said kindly to Sabrina. "I'll have Mr. Popo prepare a room for you. Rhyne has her own room."
"Can't I stay with Sabrina?" Jade asked. "Please?"
Kami smiled. "If it would make you feel more comfortable, then yes."
Piccolo grumbled something and he and Kaizer picked up Tekoa's body. "Don't wait up for us." He said angrily, and then they flew away.
"What will they do with it…his body?" Sabrina couldn't help but ask. After all, she'd been the one to kill him.
"They'll give him a proper burial." Rideria snarled. She knew her father, and she was betting that Tekoa would end up in the same watery grave he'd planned for her youngest sister.
"Come on." Rikola said. "There's someone else I want you to meet." She smiled. Taking Rhyne by the hand, she pulled her forward, and in turn, Sabrina was dragged along with them.
The girl who called herself Jade was introduced to Raina, and found the little girl to be completely intriguing. "You are my Aunt Rhyne! I know who you are!" Raina said excitedly.
Jade did not have the heart to correct the little girl, when in fact she wasn't sure who she was anymore. But being surrounded by all these people, friends and family, seemed to make her miss what it was she couldn't remember.
Sabrina lay down beside Jade and they chatted until the girl was finally asleep. However for Sabrina, sleep was the last thing on her mind. After a few hours of staring at the ceiling, she decided to get up. If she were at her own home, she would watch a video or read a good book, hoping to find the peace and relaxation she sought. But, this was not home.
Carefully, she retraced her steps back down the long hallway until she found the open area in which she had first encountered. From this vantage point, the stars were enormous. She sat down by a large shrub, leaning her back against a pillar and watched the sky.
It was beautiful. Never in her life had she been this close to the Heaven's. She felt as if she could almost reach out and touch the moon as it shone brightly.
"Stay away from the edge." A gruff voice said.
Sabrina jumped, knocking over the potted shrub and landing in the dirt and broken clay pieces.
It was him….Jade's father.
"Do you always sneak up on people!" Sabrina shouted, trying to get up and dust herself off. "Look what you made me do!" She looked at the ruined greenery.
Piccolo smirked. "You're the jumpy human. If you were paying attention to your surroundings you'd realized that I was here before you arrived. Therefore, I did not sneak up on you, rather you invaded my space."
Sabrina glanced at his face, seeing nothing but confidence and wisdom. "Still, you could have coughed or something to let me know you were here. That little helper person….what is his name? He will have a fit!"
"PoPo will not be angry." Piccolo said. "There is a broom and dust pan in the closet over there, if you wish to clean up your mess." He pointed to a door as he walked away.
"Wait!" Sabrina said. "Where are you going? I thought maybe…."
He glared at her. "Thought what? We'd sit down and have tea?" He crossed his arms over his chest. "I don't associate with humans."
"What about all those other fighter friends of yours? Aren't some of them human?" She wanted to force him to clarify. "What about the one you said loved Jade?"
"Her name is Rhyne." Piccolo bellowed.
Sabrina took in a deep breath. "I didn't mean to offend you." She said earnestly. "You have to understand that the girl I call Jade has come to mean a great deal to me. I don't have any children….or family…and she has…." Sabrina suddenly couldn't speak any further. She wanted to get away. Turning, she walked back toward her bedroom.
"Running away?" Piccolo asked hatefully, unable to stand her cowardice. "If you have something to say, then say it!"
Sabrina stopped and took another deep breath before she turned around and looked into the coal black eyes of this enormous green man. "I love her…she is the closest thing to a child…a daughter I will ever have. And….I don't want to lose her." There, Sabrina had said it, and although the tears were spilling over her eyes, she felt relieved that her feelings had been made known.
Piccolo didn't try and stop her again as she continued walking down the hall. He saw the love in this human woman's eyes and had no doubt that everything she had done before was to protect Rhyne…..Jade. But, why would a human risk so much to protect an alien girl? Someone who was green, with antenna and pointy ears?
The fearful and sometimes cruel reaction of humans was the main reason Piccolo had decided to keep his girls on Namek for as long as he did. It was harder to explain prejudice to a child than it was to an adult. Now that the girls were grown, they understood the need for privacy and seclusion. Nameks, although a part of Earth for many years now, would never be accepted. Only feared and in some cases hunted down and killed because of that fear.
It was the same reason that most of Earth's fighters lived a reclusive life. From Master Roshi, Goku, Tien, Yamcha, and even Krillin. They were all different and were shunned because of it.
Piccolo heard himself sigh. So, why would this human be any different than the others?
Morning came much too quickly for Sabrina, who had not slept. She found a bathroom and washed her face with cold water, hoping to look presentable. However, all she saw was a glazed set of brown eyes looking back at her from the mirror. Pulling her hair back in a clip, she went in search of food. That was one thing that never wavered. Her appetite.
All the green people were up and about. What were they called? She had forgotten. No matter. She spotted Jade sitting close to the edge of the tower.
"Well, did you sleep well?" Sabrina asked Jade.
She nodded. "Apparently more than you." She smiled. "You should have woke me up….we could have talked."
Sabrina shook her head. "I'm fine….soon as I find some food."
"Did I hear you say food?" Gohan said smiling. He had stayed at the Lookout the entire night, not wanting to be away from Rhyne. "Mr. PoPo can cook something!"
Sabrina smiled. "Sounds good!" Then she frowned. "Just what kind of food do you eat?"
"The same kinds of stuff humans eat….I'm actually half Human, half Saiyan. So, bacon and eggs sound pretty good!" Gohan said happily.
"Part Saiyan?" Jade asked. "Is that your…race?"
Gohan nodded. "Yes. You are full-blooded Namekian. I am what Vegeta calls a half-breed…" He joked.
"Vegeta?" Jade repeated the name.
"He's a full blooded Saiyan like my dad. They are the only two left in the whole Universe. But, my dad has been on Earth since he was a little baby, so to him, Earth is his home….it's all either one of us really know." Gohan explained.
Jade smiled. "You seem very comfortable with being an Earthling."
Gohan's heart beat faster at seeing her beautiful, white fangs. "Ah..yes….I go to college and everything."
"College!" Sabrina jumped into the conversation. "What are you majoring in?"
"Well, my mom has always wanted me to be a doctor. So, that's what I'm preparing for now." Gohan said.
"But, what do you want to be?" Jade asked.
"I remember, before your accident or whatever you want to call it, we used to sit around and talk about how our lives would be in a few years." Gohan said to her. "You knew how much I wanted to be a teacher….how much I would love teaching a young, and curious mind."
"A teacher?" Jade replied. "I believe that does suit you much better."
Gohan knelt down beside her and bravely took her hand. "Rhyne….can I call you that?"
She nodded, suddenly unable to find her voice.
"I don't want to ever give up on you….on us. But, just having you back…and alive is more than I ever hoped for." Gohan looked into her eyes and she felt that familiar feeling of need and want as his face was so very close to hers. "And if you never remember the things you have forgotten, will you let me build new memories for you? Maybe even for us?"
Jade felt as if her heart were breaking, seeing the sincerity and hopefulness on this young man's face. As he gently held her hand she could almost feel the enormous amount of power his grip possessed. And she could see something recognizable in his dark eyes that made her slowly nod her head, still unable to speak.
"Good." He smiled. "Maybe…if Sabrina doesn't mind, you and I could go for a walk?" Gohan looked at Sabrina for permission. He realized that as she was now, Jade looked to this woman as her parental figure.
"Of course." Sabrina said. "But, you should ask her father. I wouldn't want to step on his toes any more than I already have."
"Don't mind Piccolo." Gohan explained. "He growls a lot, but he has saved this planet many times…including the humans on it. He's just a father, who for the past year has searched every inch of this Earth for his youngest daughter. And even now, his heart is breaking because she views him as a stranger."
"I don't mean to." Jade said sadly.
"Don't you worry." Sabrina told her. "I'm sure, you'll remember everything before long. Now, you two go and have fun."
Gohan picked Jade up and jumped off the tower, hovering a few feet away. Sabrina felt her heart leap to her throat every time she saw someone do that. She waved, and smiled, hoping that Jade would be able to enjoy herself.
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