Hello peoples!!! Wondering where the heck I've been? Well even great authors need vacations! So I had mine, and came back refreshed and VERY well-rested. So now I'm ready to put the writing into overdrive so I can HOPEFULLY finish this fic before summer's out! Wish me luck, and for all you patient people who are still hanging in there... YET ANOTHER CHAPTER!!! Your questions shall be answered... ENJOY!!!
Chapter 32: Keiko's Journey
"HAAAAHHHH!!!" Pan cried out, once again attempting to reach the Super Saiyan level. But just as last time, and the time before, her golden aura diminished, and she was left gasping for air on the ground.
"Well done, Pan. That was much better than last time." Piccolo encouraged. "Now, let's call it a day."
"No..." She panted, barely able to stand. "I'll... try again..."
"What...?" Never before had the Namek seen such persistence... such endurance... not even in Goku. "Pan, you've done enough! Now you need to rest and regain your energy!"
But the young Saiyan didn't listen. All she could think about was her premonition. Of the white-hot feeling of rage burning up inside her after seeing Vegeta nearly kill Trunks. She continued to yell and build up her power, trying to harness that rage and convert it into enough energy to breach that next level. How many times had she attempted this now? Ten times? Fifteen? She had lost count. But each time she tried to ascend, it seemed she had less and less energy to work with. As a result, she once again failed and fell to her knees, breathing heavily. Pan felt defeated.
"Now will you stop?" Piccolo sighed, shaking his head.
"Not... until... I ascend!!!" Pan grimaced, struggling to her feet. But she was too drained, and fell flat on her stomach.
Piccolo heaved a sigh, and gently picked up the exhausted girl.
"You've done quite enough for today..." He muttered, slowly gliding down the mountain back to the campsite.
"Oh Piccolo, you're back!" Gohan greeted his friend as he drifted down to the ground beside him. He took one look at his daughter, and chuckled. "Another hard day?"
"Yep... today she practiced ascension."
"Ascension?!? You mean she tried to go Super Saiyan?" He exclaimed, astonished.
Piccolo smirked and nodded.
"Well? How'd she do?" Gohan questioned anxiously.
"She's pretty far along, but hasn't quite gotten it yet. She was so determined to make it... she completely drained herself." He looked down at the sleeping girl in his arms. "She's tough... just like her father."
"Aww... I'm not that great!" Gohan sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we'd better put Pan to bed then." He took the teen from Piccolo and carried her into her tent. When he came back, Piccolo was calmly sitting by the fire. He would occasionally stick his hand in, letting the flames lick his flesh, but it would not burn due to the protection of his ki.
"Hey... what's on your mind?" Gohan asked, sitting beside him.
"Nothing..." Piccolo grumbled in response, though this was very much a lie. Pan's willpower and strength of mind troubled his senses. Exactly what she saw in her vision had somehow motivated her to max out her strength and completely exhaust herself.
Gohan stared at Piccolo for a moment, trying and failing to read his expression. So instead, his gaze drifted over the campsite, and he soon was consumed in his own thoughts.
"You know, we're thinking about trying again."
"Trying what again?" Piccolo asked, his friend's voice bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Trying to build the village again. Otou-san and I have been discussing it, and we've decided to move the group further west, deeper into the valley and start building another town."
"Heh... why? Just so Vegeta's army can tear it down again?"
"Piccolo, they can't continue living here! I've heard their talk, and some are thinking about going back!"
"And why shouldn't they be? This rebellion was a failure. They've come all the way here seeking freedom, and all they got was more hardship!"
"It's going to take time, but I know we can make this work! We just have to-" He froze in mid sentence and abruptly stood up, turning in the direction of the mountains to the east.
"What is it, Gohan?" Piccolo asked, also getting to his feet. But soon, he sensed it too. "What is that?"
"I don't know... It's pretty weak... We'd better go check it out." Without waiting for a response, Gohan took off toward the top of the mountain, Piccolo close behind.
"Cold... c- cold..." Keiko shivered violently, and hugged the baby tighter to her chest. Why hadn't she at least had the sense to bring a coat? She had known she was going to climb a mountain. She had lost track of the time. Only the light from the crescent moon guided her up the slopes. She was just thankful it wasn't snowing. Nonetheless, there was snow about a foot deep that she was forced to trudge through. The baby wasn't making it any easier. He had woken up hungry and cold, and therefore began to cry. The young girl did her best to comfort him and keep him warm.
Being a low-level servant, Keiko had never had the chance to work on any warrior skills or useful techniques. But being a Saiyan, she at least had enough ki sense in her to detect two powerful life forces rapidly speeding towards her. In a panic, she hid under a large boulder jutting out from the side of the slope. Huddling the baby even closer to her, she did her best to silence his needy cries. The two ki signals came closer and closer until they were practically on top of her.
"Do you see anything?" A male voice called out to the other. The voice sounded firm, yet gentle all at the same time. Keiko could hear two pairs of heavy footsteps crunching in the snow on the other side of her boulder.
"No, just snow..." The second responded. This voice was low, gruff and serious. She did not like the sound of that voice in the least.
"Well, it's got to be around here somewhere, whatever it is. Keep looking!" The first ordered. So they were looking for something. Keiko wondered if they had sensed her, and were trying to seek her out. The footsteps came closer to her location. A moonlit shadow crept up beside her. They had found her. Keiko held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut. Her mission had failed. She buried the baby's face in her chest and waited...
"Hey Piccolo, over here!" The gentle voice called. "Hey there. What are you doing all alone way out here?"
Keiko slowly opened one eye. Her gaze met a pair of shining black eyes smiling back into hers. His raven-black hair was spiked upward in an untidy yet stylish fashion. He must have been somewhere in his mid-thirties, though he looked younger. He crouched down beside her and placed a strong hand on her shoulder. She blushed and said nothing.
"What is it, Gohan?" The gruff one called Piccolo asked, rounding the corner. The presence of this second person was not at all comforting. He was tall and muscular, and his small beady black eyes were firm and unforgiving. And the fact that he was green didn't help at all.
"We sensed your ki all the way from our campsite, and came to see what was going on." Gohan said. "Can we help you?"
"Are... are you from the rebel camp?" Keiko asked timidly, finally finding her voice.
"Yes we are. Do you have business there?" Piccolo questioned skeptically.
"I... need to get to the camp as soon as possible."
"And what business do you have at our camp?" Piccolo asked.
"My business is my own!" Keiko found herself saying quite defensively.
"Okay, okay! Let's not overreact here." Gohan exclaimed. "We want to help you, miss..."
"Um... Keiko." Keiko mumbled hesitantly.
"Keiko then. Would you like us to give you a lift to the camp, Keiko?" Gohan stood up and extended a hand to help her up.
"Gohan, we don't know who she is!" Piccolo whispered. "She could be a spy for Vegeta!"
"I am NOT a spy!" Keiko said haughtily, springing to her feet. However, this caused the bundle in her arms to be revealed.
"Hmm...? Hey, what's this?" Gohan said curiously, reaching for the blanket, but the girl jerked away quickly.
"Nothing!" She said quickly, yet a little too loudly. The sudden noise startled the baby, and he gave himself away with his complaining. He kicked and flailed his fists about, knocking the blanket that concealed him aside.
"Goku?!?" Gohan exclaimed with surprise, recognizing the baby right away. "What are you doing with him way out here?"
"I am here to find the one they call Son Goku. Do you know him?"
"Yeah, he's my father." Gohan stated coolly.
"Really? Your father?" What luck! Her mission hadn't failed after all. "Can you take me to him?" She asked excitedly.
"Sure, hop on." He turned around and squatted down for her to climb on his back. Not knowing how else to react, the maid did as she was told. Not five minutes later, she sat in front of a hot fire provided with food and a blanket. Gohan's wife, Videl brought food for Prince Goku to eat, and then had taken him into a tent so he could sleep. And Son Goku himself was called for and came to meet the newcomer.
"Hi there. My name's Goku. What's yours?" He stated rather casually, extending a hand for her to shake.
He wasn't at all how she had pictured him. Keiko had imagined a strong, wise leader, like the kings of old in children's fairytales. But here standing before her was this full-grown man with a child's carefree personality. She couldn't picture him being in any way a great leader.
"I am Keiko, sir." She answered, shaking his outstretched hand. Great leader or not, she still had to show politeness. She stood and bowed her head respectfully. "I was sent on this errand by Princess Bra to bring Prince Goku to you."
"Bra sent you?!?" An anxious voice exclaimed from behind her. Pan stood in the doorway of her tent, eyes wide with interest.
"Pan, you should be resting!" Piccolo scolded, striding over to her.
"I don't care!" She defied, walking right past him, and up to Keiko. "You say Bra sent you here?"
"Yes..." Keiko nodded. "And you are..."
"Oh, gomen! I'm Son Pan. Son Goku is my grandfather."
Keiko looked from Pan to Goku, who smiled childishly.
"So," Pan continued. "What I want to know is why? Why did Bra decide to do this?"
Keiko sighed deeply, trying to remember the princess's words.
"She wants Prince Goku to have the kind of life Prince Trunks and Queen Bulma (Kami rest her soul) wanted for him. She seems to think that if he lives here, he will sympathize for you and try to help you when he comes of age. She also said she could convince King Vegeta to negotiate a truce with you for his son back."
"That's brilliant!" Gohan exclaimed. "I see what you're saying. If Goku grows up here, then is taken back to the castle, he'll see what his father has done to us, and he'll want to fix it when he becomes king!"
"There's just one drawback to that." Piccolo grunted. "What's stopping Vegeta from wanting to take his son back right away instead of waiting until he grows up?"
"Oh yeah, you're right..." Gohan said.
"I'll talk to Princess Bra about that." Keiko assured. "She'll know what to do."
"What about Trunks and Zamuri?" Pan cried. "We can't leave them out of the truce! Keiko, do you think Bra can get Vegeta to release them as well?"
"I suppose it's worth a try." Keiko answered. "I'll talk to her about that too."
"And just what's in this for you anyway?" Piccolo challenged. "No one in their right minds would take on this dangerous a task and not want anything in return."
"Well, actually Princes Bra promised to grant me my freedom when this is all over."
"You're a prisoner?" Pan asked sympathetically.
Keiko nodded. "My sister and I were enslaved as maids at a very young age. But once I am free, I can go wherever I want!"
"Where will you go?" Pan asked.
"Well... what if I came to live here? This place doesn't seem that bad."
Pan's eyes lit up excitedly. "That would be great!"
"All right, young lady. Its past midnight, and you still have training tomorrow." Gohan reminded his daughter.
"Aww..." Pan grumbled. "I'll see you in the morning then, okay Keiko?"
Keiko nodded. "See you then."
Pan smiled and went back into her tent.
"Um... Gohan-san?" Keiko called.
"Yeah?"
"I need to get back to the castle as soon as possible. Otherwise, my absence will raise some questions. So, do you think it's possible for you to take me back tomorrow?"
"It would be faster if my dad took you. He'll literally get you there in a flash." Gohan motioned to Goku.
"Really?" Keiko inquired.
Goku simply smiled and winked. "Sure!"
"Until then, you must recover your strength, Keiko." Videl said, returning from the tent where the baby prince was now sleeping soundly. "Come with me, and I'll prepare a place for you to sleep."
"Thank you very much." Keiko bowed, and then followed Videl into the mass of clustered tents.
"So what do you think, bro?" Goten asked once the two were out of earshot.
"I think this is out of our hands." Gohan answered softly.