How did I manage to get into a mess like this?
How did investigating a scream in the storage room at 12 am in the damn night after a tiring and strange work shift of seeing figures in the cameras and questioning my own sanity lead to this?
All what I wanted to do was to eat some popcorn while I waiting to get picked up but here I am. Bowl of popcorn on the floor, I'm standing between the hallway and the storage room, and gawking like an idiot into the room.
My eyes were staring at the obvious source of the scream, which were two little kids cowering in the middle of the room admit the rest of the chaos. They couldn't be any older than 6 at best from what I could tell from the room's poor lighting. The biggest question running in my mind was how the hell they even got back here beyond the employees' only door, before mentally blaming Dave for leaving the damn employee door open again and then myself for not doing my own damn job.
Then came to the other people in the room.
This can't be happening right now. Are these shifts are getting to me?
No way am I actually seeing Zarbon, Dodoria, the entire freaking Ginyu Force and…Frieza?!
A part of me let out a fan shrill in my head to see these guys to even be real but it only lasted for one second. One second. Then I began to freak out.
Not only should this be impossible by all capabilities but it didn't help on the fact I knew these guys could kill all of us with just one punch. Well, maybe not Guldo, but still. Then there is the fact of two literal children that are also in the same mess as I am right now and are probably scared shitless out of their minds too. And finally to add on my growing anxiety, all of them were arguing about something but they had stopped the moment I came bursting through the door and were now staring at me.
I cursed under my breath as my face turned red as a tomato.
"And who might you be," Frieza asked coldly and smoothly after a long period of awkward silence. …holy crap did he sound like his DBZ Kai dub.
"U-Uh…," came out of my mouth and I mentally face palmed. I'm going to get myself and these two kids killed by my own stupidity. Then again, how should I answer? I guess there is no harm in telling who I am but should I omit that I know who they are? "A-An Earthling?"
"Is that a question or an answer?"
He glared his eyes down at me which signaled to me I had to say my next words carefully or I can kiss my chances of living goodbye. Why is this even happening?! How is this happening?!
"An answer Frieza," I quickly answer.
Never in my entire life had I wanted to punch myself so hard in my life for slipping up. So much for trying to play dumb and pretending not to know who they are but I guess playing pretend would have killed me too. I can't figure out any logical approach to this anymore but probably any logic went out the window when I opened the door.
"And how would you know my name already miss," Frieza asked as he peered down at me once again. His voice containing an odd mixture of confusion and slight amusement?
"W-Well…you see…," I trailed off as my brain farted on how to explain this.
Very awkwardly, I fumbled to get my iPhone out. I kept muttering nonsense to myself as I still can't believe I was searching these guys up when they're right in front of me. I searched up Frieza for convenience, and nervously walked over to them. My hands shook violently as I held the screen in front of them. Zarbon ripped it out of my hand where I immediately took that as my cue to go back to where I originally stood at. I felt like I could actually breathe again back at my old spot but my hands wouldn't stop shaking. My throat felt dry and if this room was deathly silent I bet you could hear my heart pounding like crazy.
Eventually Ginyu, who had my phone by then, showed it over to Frieza who still maintained his composure. So while those guys were busy breaking down the fact their lives are nothing but mere creations of some guy's imagination, my eyes wandered over to the two kids who had their eyes locked on me. I adverted my gaze from theirs but I felt a bit guilty for doing so. Right now, despite everything, I had to at least get them out of here-.
"This news is certainly most unsettling…," Frieza voice cut my thoughts away as I move my eyes back up to him. The light form my phone on his hand shining on his face.
I stayed quiet as I really didn't know how to respond seeing this guy is super picky on what people say in general. Everybody around him are absolute masters on what to say around this guy.
"How much do you know about the Frieza Force and of the world I supposedly inhabit," he suddenly asks. I felt my blood run slightly cold with this question.
"I-It's rather limited from what I have seen from the show and manga…," I stammer a bit before shoving my fear back to at least sound somewhat confident. "I-I k-know a f-few soldiers under your army, and a little on how it functions... B-But on the other hand, I know a lot more of the general world, or universe y-you guys are from though. Specifically on the events of the manga-."
"That will be enough," Frieza said, cutting me off.
I hesitantly nodded and clamped my mouth shut. He began to murmur along with Zarbon and Dodoria, my mind scrambling to know what they were discussing. My mind spewing to the possibilities as to why he asked me that question. My eyes shifted back down to the kids to focus on something else, and who I am praising for staying quiet through all of this. Holy crap, I just wanted them to get out. Now. But how? Having them book it out here sounds appealing but will most certainly backfire-.
"Yes," Frieza said loudly, once again interrupting my thoughts. "This information could be quite useful…"
His eyes connected with mine for only a few seconds and a smile formed on his face before I adverted my eyes away, and a wave of dread came over me. No…no…no way…he couldn't possibly be-.
"I would be enlighten to have you in my organization- Oh my! I believe I haven't learned your name yet."
What sick nightmare is this?
"M-Maria…A-Abdon," I reply quietly.
All of their eyes turned towards me with all of his henchmen showing clear signs of shock while Frieza continued to speak but his words fell on deaf ears for me. Me? Be a part of his sick organization? I rather curl up to a ball and cry.
This can't be happening. This can't be happening. This can't be happening…
"Lord Frieza, how do we plan to go back to our dimension then," Ginyu suddenly asked, catching me off guard and pausing my near panic attack and the tears that were threatening to fall down.
What? Different dimension? What are they talking about? Was that what they were arguing about earlier?
"Hopefully the mechanics will fix the malfunctions of the machine that caused all of this because they know the consequences if they don't."
Machine? They got here through a machine? All my curiosity and confusion was thrown out the window once Frieza brought his attention back to me where I slowly felt myself begin to panic inside again. Crap…what do I say now? I feel like I should say something…at least something to appear confident.
"Lord Frieza, what about the small fries," Dodoria asked, motioning towards the two kids. My heart skipped a beat.
Frieza gave a bored expression before saying: "Kill them. They won't be any use to me."
The two kid's eyes swelled up with terror and tears falling down their face as it seemed they already knew they couldn't escape their certain doom. I stood there like a dumbass as Dodoria raised his hand up to send a devastating attack. I shouldn't be standing here…I have to do something…run over to them or say something!
"WAIT! DON'T KILL THEM," I shout before clamping my mouth shut with my own hands. Taken aback by myself and for Dodoria actually listening to me because he froze mid attack.
"And why not," Frieza spoke with a hint of dryness and impatience. "What use do they have to me and why even bother saving something so insignificant?"
"Like hiring me," I thought to myself.
"S-Sorry for s-shouting," I said shakily while nervously laughing. "B-But s-surely no one will believe them that all of t-this e-even happened-."
"Maria, my dear, I simply do not care. I want to leave this whole entire mess behind and they are no use for me whatsoever. Killing them is the simplest way."
"B-B-But perhaps they can contribute to your organization once their older!" I was practically spitting out bullshit but I couldn't bear the thought nor the sight to see children killed in front of me. "L-Like they could become m-mechanics or s-something else that's useful to you!"
Frieza's expression was unreadable but before he could do or say anything to what I assume to either me or the twins, it seemed like a bright light enveloped us. I shut my eyes due to the brightness but when I opened them again, I could see nothing. I could hear nothing around me but myself. It felt like I couldn't breathe until it seemed I was whisked away from where I was standing.
"I swear I heard it from here," Dave exclaimed, opening the door to the storage room as his other two coworkers walked inside with him following closely behind. "It was in this room I swear!"
"You idiot! There's nothing here," one of them said with a scowl on his face. "Just stop leaving the employees' door open! Besides, Leila didn't see anything from the cameras and neither did Maria before her!"
"Well…I wouldn't be so sure of Maria," the other coworker said, bending her knees down as if picking something up.
Straightening her back, she faced them and showed them what she had picked up. It was one of their employee's name tag. On it with in fine print read: Maria Abdon.
I found myself being able breathe again and relief washing over me once the light died down. That relief, however, was short lived when I soon realized the smell of smoke and the multiple stares around me. Slowly I looked around to see multiple mechanics and soldiers, actual aliens, staring at me ranging from expressions of shock or confusion.
This was actually happening…this was actually real…this isn't a dream…
"L-Lord Frieza," one of the mechanics squawked nervously as he stepped forward. "F-Forgive f-for the e-earlier miscalculation! We d-didn't b-believe the machine would act-."
He never finished as Frieza shot a Death Beam through his chest, dropping dead to floor with a pool of blood slowly formed beneath him following not too far behind. The cry of the two kids caused my eyes to flick back towards them, away from the dead body, to see them hug each other tighter and visibly shake in fear. I slowly looked back at Frieza who had a satisfying smile across his face as he looked down at the two terrified children. That sick bastard…
"Now that is set aside, is the machine still functioning," Frieza asked calmly, turning his gaze to another mechanic.
"N-No my L-Lord! It exploded on us before you and the rest of your men showed up miraculously!"
"Such a shame really. I did wonder what new territories I would have had the pleasure of conquering but I can see now that I can set those plans aside as thanks to your malfunction, I have found a new prize."
His eyes came back to me and boy did I really feel like I was turned to stone as I stood there frozen stiff.
"Fortunately for you, Maria, it seems luck is by your side as I will let your small outburst slide for now but don't try to believe you will get away with that behavior again," Frieza continued before gazing down at the two kids again. "As for these younger ones, I will ensure them in your care. Now then, don't give me that look. You're the one who wanted to preserve their lives so I am leaving them to your care. Don't worry, you should be able to manage your new duties and loyalties and their care perfectly fine."
I wanted to snap back at him so badly but I kept my mouth shut. Fear kept my rage back and put me in line. I could only stare at him and nod along to his terms. It's not like I have any other option in the first place. Running away back in the storage room would have been disastrous the longer I think of it now. He gave me that fake heartfelt smile I remember seeing him give to the Namekian elder in the manga.
"Well now Maria," he said, clasping his hands together and leaning back on his seat. "Welcome to the Frieza Force."
To believe this beginning chapter was the extent of the dream I had and everything else after this is not.