(Due to the graphic and suggestive nature of this chapter, reader discretion is advised.)
Chapter Eighteen- Far From Home
"Another day in this carnival of souls
Another night's sands end as quickly as it goes
The memories are shadows, ink on the page
And I can't seem to find my way home
And it's almost like your heaven's trying everything
Your heaven's trying everything to keep me out
All the places I've been and things I've seen
A million stories that made up a million shattered dreams
The faces of people I'll never see again
And I can't seem to find my way home."
Far From Home-Five Finger Death Punch
DBZ
Eight years ago…
Tettuce landed violently, the ground cratering beneath his bulk, and his red aura vanishing with a loud crack! He yanked his black helmet off as a Gylderian guard approached him, it immediately condensing down to its portable state.
"Where are they?" the Saiyan immediately demanded as he stepped out of the crater, his tone barely concealing the fear that his eyes could not hide. He stowed the black metal plate into his armor.
"Lt. Major Tettuce-"
"Stow it. Where the hell are they?" he roared in impatience.
"This way." The guard turned and hurried towards a line of trees fifty yards away, Tettuce immediately following.
"What happened?" Tettuce asked as he matched his pace with the guard.
The man turned his slightly luminescent green eyes to the Saiyan. "Cooler's squadron showed up here. They attacked the Princess and Lady Leta while they were out enjoying the landscape. Leta did her best to fend them off, but they drastically overpowered her. If it wasn't for Spark they would both be dead…" The guard trailed off and lowered his gaze from Tettuce's. "General Spark died defending them, killing himself and three of the members. But Captain Falmer was able to drive the last one away. The Princess…she might not make it, Major. A local shaman is trying to save her, but it doesn't look good."
Tettuce looked sharply at him. "Why hasn't she been taken to a rejuvenation chamber, then?" He regretted that Spark had been killed. He owed the man for his own current power level. He had taught him much in the brief time he had known the man.
The guard glanced away, keeping his gaze averted from the Saiyan's. "Sauza, the last of the Squadron, damaged our ship, Sir. The chambers are all out of commission. This was our only option."
"Gods damn it. Then I'll take her to my ship when it lands!"
The guard came to a sudden stop and grabbed Tettuce's arm to stall him. The Saiyan rounded on him angrily, but the guard spoke quickly, saying, "Sir, that won't be an option. She is barely clinging to life as it is. If…if we chance moving her, she may slip away completely."
Tettuce stared at the guard blankly, his mind grinding to a stop. What then…? He suddenly looked toward the line of trees as Falmer came rushing towards them. He shook free of the guard and hurried to meet him.
"Falmer! Tell me what is happening!"
The Gylderian faltered and then stopped completely. His face looked haggard and drawn, his normally luminescent eyes dim. He shook his head slowly and sighed. "Tettuce…I'm sorry, but Surah…She…She just passed."
Tettuce froze in mid-step, his blood freezing in his veins and his mind grinding to a halt. Surah...gone? But no, that couldn't be possible. It just couldn't be!
He lunged forward and grabbed Falmer's arm in a deathgrip, his onyx gaze blazing as he glared into the Gylderian's dim eyes. "That can't be! You're wrong! She's not dead! She's NOT!"
Falmer winced as Tettuce's grip tightened around his arm. "I'm sorry Tettuce...But she is. Her...her heart stopped beating. She stopped breathing..." He shook his head slowly and sadly as he trailed, slowly and gently prying the Saiyan's fingers from around his bicep.
A bright white light suddenly shone from beyond the trees and there were several voices crying out in surprise a short distance away. Tettuce released his grip on Falmer's arm and shielded his eyes from the radiance and Falmer looked over his shoulder in surprise. "What the...?" He was at a loss to what that could have been. His eyes widened at a sudden thought: what if Sauza had returned? Only he had proven strong enough to handle the Squadron member after his father had died; the other guards would be at the Ice-jin soldier's mercy!
He suddenly spun around and immediately sprinted into the forest, heading back the way he had come from. Tettuce hesitated for but an instant and then followed. Within seconds he was in a clearing, running into a tiny village of huts made out of bamboo-like reeds lashed together. He paid them little mind as he followed the Gylderian warrior to where a crowd of short, red aliens and Gylderian guards were gathered around one single hut. The Saiyan barely noticed that the aliens, male and female, all looked nearly identical with their short tufts of white hair atop their otherwise bald heads. All he noticed was the fading light that was glowing from within the tiny hut.
He followed Falmer as the man pushed his way through the crowd and disappeared into the hut. Tettuce was barely an instant behind him. He almost plowed him over as he found the man standing just inside the hut, stunned into silence and awe as he stared at a glowing silver figure that was slowly gathering herself to her feet.
Tettuce stood beside Falmer as he stared in bewildered awe at the beautiful dread-locked white-haired woman now standing with her arms outstretched and her head held back. For a moment he thought the woman was Surah…Then he thought she was Leta…
The woman opened her eyes and blue pinpoints of light found their way to Tettuce…And the woman smiled as her arms fell slowly to her sides.
"Tettuce…"
"Who are you?" he asked before he could stop himself. The woman was more beautiful than any woman he had ever before seen. She was wearing a gold and silver vest that just barely concealed her glistening breasts, and a pair of gold and silver loose-fitting breeches. Her boots, like the rest of her ensemble, were gold and silver.
She grinned and touched her glowing hand to her silver chest, her delicate-looking fingers wrapping lightly around a silver oval locket as a metallic silver and brown tail slowly wrapped around her waist. "I am Aurah. Tettuce, this was the only way that I could save Surah. This shaman," her free hand indicated a pale red alien with a thick white beard stretching to the ground, "used his magic and enchanted Surah's locket." She released the pendant and it slowly faded away, vanishing completely within seconds.
Tettuce blinked his eyes for a moment then shook his head and stuttered, "Wait…what…what are you talking about? What are you telling me?"
The woman laughed her melodious voice like the fall of rain drops on chimes. "Leta and Surah are no more. I…am the fused form of the Saiyan Leta and the Gylderian Surah."
Tettuce looked to the weary shaman and then to Falmer, but the man merely shrugged, his features twisted in bewilderment. "Fused? You…they're…what?" He shook his head again, at a loss for words, and looked back at the beautiful woman still glowing brightly before them.
Aurah laughed again and stepped forward to stand in front of him, her head tilted back as she looked up into his dark eyes. "Surah was almost dead when this Metamorian shaman suggested that Leta fuse with her to save her life. Normally there is a process that two people must undergo in order for a fusion to work—a dance of sorts. But given the gravity of the situation, he was forced to use his magic to force-fuse us. It was a choice made out of desperation. Especially…" her smile faded slightly and she lowered her eyes for a moment. Her smile split into a grin and she looked back up at him. "Especially considering that this process may be permanent…Leta and Surah are most likely gone for good…"
Tettuce took in a breath and glanced around at Falmer. He met his gaze, a faint smile quirking the corners of his lips. He frowned slightly and then looked back to the woman, Aurah. "They're…gone?"
"But their love still remains, Tettuce…Love." She giggled and stepped forward to wrap her slender arms around his tense frame.
He swallowed, but his arms wrapped around her and Tettuce all-but crushed her into his chest…
DBZ
Present day…
Broco sat on the floor of the bridge with his back against a wall as he stared silently at Aurah with his single eye. Since the ship had left Jynn-jin 13 she had sat in silence on her throne, her eyes dull and cast down to the floor. Her silence infected the rest of the bridge, spreading from there to the rest of the ship…
They had traveled for nearly a week now and in that time Aurah had been silent and still. The only time she had ever moved was to go to her quarters when she was ready to sleep. Other than that, she sat like stone, still in her throne and obviously lost in thoughts of Tettuce. He doubted whether or not she had even eaten in that time.
Broco lowered his gaze from Aurah and suppressed a sigh. Tettuce had told her that Seripa and Bardock were dead. As well as Zether, his brother Falmer, and Amotto…And now Tettuce, too, had joined that too-long list. A movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention from Aurah to where his sister, Etapa, was sitting at a console. She had merely shifted her weight, but a look of discomfort had come across her features. Frowning, Broco glanced around to where he saw her eyes cut sharply and he spotted Turles leaning stoically in the arched doorway leading off of the bridge. The youth's gaze was locked on Aurah, a look of faint concern shining from the darkness of his eyes.
Broco smiled slightly. The boy had changed in the last year. He was no longer the teenager that had let madness and power drive him onward. He was still a teenager, but he was now more man than child. He had proven himself braver than Broco had originally thought him capable. He had taken it upon himself without question to defend the ship, even while his blood flowed freely from a near-fatal wound. Turles was lucky that he had not died in that foolhardy act, but he had proven himself to the crew aboard the ship.
But Etapa's sudden discomfort confused Broco. He looked back to his sister and narrowed his eye…and he had to suppress a grin when he noticed that her cheeks were flushed with a spreading pink hue. Ah, so that was the way of it. He couldn't complain—Etapa could have chosen worse men to fall for. And Turles was closer to her age than any other Saiyan male that he knew; she was just barely twenty and Turles was eighteen by now. He had lost track of the boy's age during their time in captivity. But he had to be either eighteen or nineteen now. Maybe a bit younger, but he was still far more mature than he had been the previous year.
Sudden movement from Aurah drew his attention back to her in surprise, and he watched as she stood up straight and tall from her throne. He quickly climbed to his feet and approached her slowly.
Her dim gaze met his and she forced a strained smile, her lips quivering with barely suppressed emotion. "Broco…" Her voice faltered and she took a breath to steady herself. "Broco, gather everyone aboard the ship to the bridge. I have an announcement to make."
"An…announcement?" he asked in confusion. He was vaguely aware that the rest of the bridge, already silent, had turned their attention to the two of them.
But instead of a response to his question, she merely nodded and looked away. He frowned and nodded slowly. "Yes, right away."
It didn't take long, just a quick announcement over the ship's loudspeakers, to gather the rest of the crew aboard the bridge. Broco found himself leaning against the wall with Turles and Etapa on either side of him. Blythe, the Gylderian male who had helped carry Turles aboard Falmer's ship on Jynn-jin 13, was standing beside a red-eyed Sushinae. She had barely stopped crying since the deaths of her brothers; the last of her family. Broco grimaced and looked down to the floor. Too many had died all-too recently…
Aurah, glancing around at everyone gathered aboard the bridge, stood slowly from her throne. She stepped off of the raise dais and paused a few feet from it, closing her eyes. One slender hand reached up to close tightly into a fist against her chest.
"First…I must apologize to you all for the way I have been in recent days. I, admittedly, took…took Tettuce's death hard. As you are all aware he was my mate so it is only to be expected, I suppose. But that does not excuse my actions. I am your Matron and leader first and foremost. My love…my love for Tettuce should not have overshadowed that fact. I apologize to you all and I vow to continue on, stronger than before." She opened her eyes and looked around at them all, silver tears dripping from her eyes. But she was smiling.
"Second, I must explain to you all who I am. I am Aurah, Matron of Gylder. But I am also a Saiyan woman named Leta and a Gylderian woman named Surah. Nearly a decade past Surah was all-but killed in an attack from Cooler's Armored Squadron." Her eyes found Sushinae amongst the gathered and they softened with ancient sorrow. "It was in that attack that famed General Spark lost his life to keep Lady Surah alive. He killed off the majority of the squadron with his final attack, which also cost him his own life. Despite his sacrifice, Surah was gravely injured. She was certain to die."
Broco glanced to his left and then to his right as murmurs of confusion began to spring up. He looked at Aurah as she lifted her free hand for silence. Once all was quiet she continued.
"It was on Planet Metamoria a little more than eight years ago. A local shaman did his best to save Lady Surah as her ship had been damaged to such an extent that the rejuvenation chambers aboard were rendered useless. I—Leta, that is…" she trailed off and looked down with a sigh. "The shaman told Leta of a technique that the Metamorians had developed that allowed two people of equal size and strength to fuse together temporarily. He called it the Fusion Dance. But there was a complication in using that technique to save Surah, and that was that it required both individuals to mirror each other's moves simultaneously. That was impossible for Surah, for she was beyond consciousness and was on death's doorstep. I—we thought all was lost for her. Leta was about to lose her sister…
"Until the Metamorian shaman told her that he could…force-fuse the two of them with his magic. But it would most likely be permanent if done that way, whereas the dance would have only kept us fused for a short time—about a half hour. Leta…" she smiled slightly, her eyes trailing over everyone gathered, but never seeming to see any of them. "Leta decided to sacrifice herself to save her sister, knowing that Surah would have done the same. And she would have, without question. However, it was quickly revealed that the original spell the Metamorian intended would have taken far too long to cast, so he cast a quicker spell; one that he made up on the spot, fusing us together. However," she suddenly grinned and chuckled quietly, "Leta had him enchant Surah's family locket to keep us fused permanently, because there was no guarantee that the spell would work the way his other was intended. For eight years I have worn this locket—this locket that none of you can see—because both Leta and Surah so loved Tettuce that they both used the circumstances of Surah's near demise to be with him."
Broco's eye was wide as he stared at Lady Aurah, seeing her as a completely new person. So she was both Saiyan and Gylderian…It explained the tail, even though her story sounded so far-fetched. He had never before heard of a technique that would fuse two people together. A quick glance about him revealed that all (save for Blythe, oddly) seemed to share in his astonishment. A glint of light drew his attention back to Aurah and he gaped at a locket that was now resting in the palm of her silver hand.
"For the past few days I have been considering what to do now that Tettuce is gone. Lady Aurah is no longer needed…But Princess Surah—the true Matron—and Princess Leta of the Saiyan Royal Family…they are needed much more than I am. As I am the physical embodiment of their combined love for the Saiyan Tettuce…I feel, as well as they, that my time is over. I have made the decision to "end" my life by removing this locket. Once I do…Leta and Surah will stand before you and it will be to them that you all shall now look; the remaining Saiyans to Leta as the remaining Gylderians to Surah. Mourn not for me, for though Lady Aurah will no longer exist…She will always be here." She smiled and closed her eyes, her hand clasping tightly around the locket.
"Goodbye!" And before any could raise their voices to stop her, she tore the locket from about her neck, the chain snapping with ease.
Broco took an involuntary step forward, but froze the instant a bright light flashed from Aurah's body and blinded the bridge; everyone aboard had to shield their eyes against the radiance. But the light persisted for but a brief moment before it was suddenly gone…and with it, Aurah.
The gathered Saiyans and Gylderians gaped at the two women standing side by side, mirroring the last stance that Aurah had taken: their hands outstretched as if they, too, had ripped a necklace from their necks. Their eyes were closed, and both had smiles on their faces. Only one, however, held a locket in her hand: the Gylderian woman, Surah.
She had long white hair tucked behind her slightly pointed ears and hanging freely to her shoulders. Like Aurah before her, her skin was silver, but it did not glisten and glow the way Aurah's had. And unlike the woman standing beside her, she was wearing glistening golden armor; Leta's was glistening silver. Twin streams of silver tears trailed down Surah's cheeks. Beside her, Leta had short black hair in a similar style as Seripa's had been. Twin streams of tears trailed down her pale cheeks, as well.
Broco started visibly when Leta suddenly opened her eyes: they were the exact color as Seripa's had been! In fact, the woman looked almost identical to the valiant Saiyan woman now that he thought about it…Too much so for pure coincidence. He glanced to Turles and saw that he must have agreed, because he was gaping in stunned silence at the woman, one shaky hand raised and his index finger pointing at her in shock. He returned his gaze to Leta and then to Surah as the Gylderian woman, still clutching her locket, put her hands to her face and suddenly sank to her knees sobbing loudly. Leta looked down at her and knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around the woman's shaking shoulders.
"Tettuce…! No, not Tettuce…! Why…? Why? Why?" Surah's speech was muffled by her hands, but everyone on the bridge heard the emotion in each word.
"Ssshh…ssshh…Surah, it's okay…" Leta murmured into the woman's ear. Surah suddenly shifted around and threw her arms around the Saiyan woman, her emotion spilling forth as she wailed loudly into Leta's shoulder.
Leta picked Surah up and cast a stern glance around the bridge, daring any one of them to judge her sister for her actions. Her gaze settled on Broco and she said, "Broco…Take command for now. I'll be back." Despite the tears rolling freely down her cheeks, her voice was strong and unwavering. "Surah will be fine." And with that she left the bridge, carrying Surah to her quarters.
As Broco stared after them in surprise, all eyes on the bridge suddenly turned his way. He blinked and glanced around at the questioning gazes. Oh boy. Now he had to deal with questions he couldn't answer.
Damn it.
DBZ
Six days ago…
Frieza stared down in contempt at Tettuce's lifeless body. He had thoroughly enjoyed slapping the Saiyan warrior around when he had been fighting back. But when he just suddenly stopped, all fun had been drained from it. He had wanted to kill this monkey for years and now that he had finally achieved that end…he couldn't help but feel utter disappointment at having been pushed to transform and then not being able to actually fight. The Saiyan had stopped fighting back and Frieza had killed him with ease.
Too easy. It made him feel as if he had actually lost the fight; that Tettuce had ultimately won by not fighting back. It angered him. It annoyed him. It irked him.
"It pisses me off you monkey trash!" he seethed through clenched teeth. He stepped forward and kicked Tettuce's lifeless body, sending it sailing into the air. "IT PISSES ME OFF!" He threw his hand up to fire a blast to instantly vaporize the limp, ragdoll form. But he caught himself and watched the Saiyan's body fall back to the ground with a thud. He curled his fingers to his palm as he clenched his hand into a tight fist.
"My victims beg for their lives, Tettuce. Why didn't you?" His brows came together in consternation. "You denied me my simple pleasure of enjoying your torment…Why did you fight and then suddenly give up? Why?" He jerked his hand down to his side and took in a breath to calm himself.
It baffled Frieza and left him dismayed. Tettuce had fought hard and done more damage to him than he was willing to admit…and yet, the Saiyan had given up after he had killed the Gylderian, Zether. At the time he had been too caught up in his own rage towards the Saiyan to pay much attention to that fact. But as he continuously knocked Tettuce around like a ragdoll, he came to realize that despite his initial thought that he was moving too fast for the Saiyan to react, Tettuce had actually just given up. He had literally been batting a ragdoll around.
His body suddenly expanded and then shrank in on itself, his arms and legs shriveling up and his horns returning to their previous length as he returned to his original form. He exhaled a breath as his muscles and organs realigned themselves. Once completely normal, he walked to where the Saiyan's body was lying on its side, one arm twisted beneath the lifeless bulk.
"You denied me a simple pleasure, Tettuce." He paused before the body and stared down at the blank and still face. A shadow passed over him and his red eyes tore away from the dead Saiyan and he looked up as his ship settled slowly to the ground. He frowned as he noticed a hatch was already open and Zarbon was standing in the opening, his cape flapping around him madly in the resulting winds of the descent.
"Lord Frieza!" The bluish-green warrior leapt from the hatch and flew over to his lord. He landed on bended knee, his head bowed in respect. "I apologize Lord Frieza, but King Cold de-I mean, requests—"
"My father demands my presence? You can say it, Zarbon. Even I must answer to the King of the Cold Empire." Frieza smiled humorlessly as he turned away from Tettuce's lifeless body. "I am guessing he wants me to leave this mudball immediately?"
"S-sire…Yes. That is correct." Zarbon's light blue eyes lifted slightly to regard the lifeless form of Tettuce. "H-he has been dealt with, I see."
Frieza glanced down at the dead Saiyan at his feet, his smile fading instantly. "Yes. The Ginyu Force failed to end his wretched life. It embarrasses me that I was forced to deal with a simple monkey, but the Ginyus will pay for this. I have every intention to demote the Major substantially for this. Especially since it seems that I will have to find a replacement for that oaf, Recoome. Apparently that tenacious female, Seripa, killed him." He lifted a foot to rest it on the Saiyan's skull and eased his weight down until he heard the faint crunching sound of Tettuce's skull beginning to fracture.
"S-sire?" Zarbon looked up sharply in surprise. "W-we just received word from the Major. He said that Recoome had actually survived, but that Junior had been killed…as well as his former body, actually…" The blue-green alien frowned slightly and looked down again.
Frieza blinked and glanced around. "Is that so? Hm, oh well. I never cared for the boy anyway. He was too quiet." He lifted his foot and then stomped it down onto Tettuce's head, crushing it with ease; gore, brain and bits of skull splattered messily across the ground. "Hmmph." And with that he turned his back on what remained of the lifeless form of Tettuce and started for the ship. "Come, Zarbon. Let us go see what my father wants. Pity that I will not be able to destroy this mudball—I could sure go for some fireworks to celebrate this fortuitous day. Perhaps another time."
Zarbon stood up and stared after Frieza as he made his way into the ship. He glanced back down at Tettuce's crushed head with a slightly disgusted frown and barely suppressed a sigh. A look of regret briefly crossed his features and he reluctantly turned his back to him.
"It's a shame, Tettuce," he whispered under his breath. "More people than you realize were counting on your victory here today." Casting a final glance to the man, he quickly made his way aboard just as the hatch began to close and the ship rose into the air.
DBZ
Berik made one last adjustment to the rejuvenation chamber into which he had placed Amotto's remains, grimacing at the free-floating pieces, before he turned away from it and rushed to a console several yards away from it. He had taken her remains to his personal ship knowing that he had little time to escape Jynn-jin 13 before Frieza destroyed it. So when he reached his console and found that his radar was indicating the tyrant's ship rapidly leaving the planet behind, he couldn't help but feel a measure of relief mixed with confusion. Relief because he wasn't sure that his old ship would take off; it had sat unused in a hidden hangar beneath his lab for several decades. Confusion because he had been certain that Frieza would destroy Jynn-jin 13.
He frowned and pushed his glasses back up his nose, pursing his lips as he folded his arms across his chest. What could have caused Frieza to rush away so quickly? The tyrant lizard was not known for leaving planets whole after making his presence known to the inhabitants.
He wouldn't get much chance to ponder on it just yet, though. His glasses suddenly lit up with symbols and his eyes widened slightly. He reached a hand up to deactivate them and then moved to the console to activate a screen set into the dash. He typed several commands, somewhat clumsily since he had not been aboard the ship in far too long. After a moment two readings appeared. They were both very faint readings, but he knew almost instantly to whom they belonged.
Berik's eyes widened and he shook his head in disbelief. He could barely believe it! He had watched in dismay as both of their readings had faded from his scouter…but here they were. One was spiking steadily while the other was steadily falling.
He broke free of his shock and quickly made his way to his pilot seat. He glanced back at the rejuvenation chamber that housed the barely-alive Amotto, and then looked to the other two on either side of that one. Thankfully they all still worked. His ship was tiny, but it was more than big enough for two more occupants. He turned back to the console and worked feverishly to bring the old ship to life…
It suddenly began to hum and faint vibrations shook the hull. He allowed himself a smile of relief as the ship levitated from its moorings and the bay doors above began to open. It rose free from the hangar and he brought it around to face due east. Seconds later it was blasting away into the distance.
DBZ
Beneath a star-strewn sky two apparently lifeless figures lay in the center of a smoldering crater. Both were stark naked, their armor having been completely obliterated in a final attack that, by all rights, should have killed them both. One figure was a short-haired female and the other was a shaggy-haired male.
Violet eyes, half-lidded, stared lethargically up at the sky as weakness permeated her body. The rise and fall of the chest of the male on which she lay relaxed her; it kept her from feeling completely hopeless. They had both been beaten severely and yet they were both alive. How was beyond her, but it didn't really matter. She could feel the life draining from the man beneath her; as well as from her own body. Neither of them had long. That they had survived this long was an utter miracle.
She didn't want to give up, but there was nothing to restore her strength anymore. The nanites had been completely destroyed. At least, she thought they had been. She couldn't feel any trace of ki or strength in her devastated body. She hated to go out this way, but at least she would have died in battle. She could rest easy knowing that she had done all she could against her foe. She had done her best to avenge her fallen team and race. She would have liked to have succeeded, but the fact that she and her mate had actually injured their foe's pride…Well, that was enough to bring a smile to her bruised and bloody lips.
Her one and only lament was that she would never get a chance to see her son again…
Seripa closed her eyes and let out what she intended to be her final breath…
"Well look at this! The gods shine on us tonight, S'viant!"
She forced her eyes open and glanced to the edge of the crater to see two scraggly-looking Jynn-jin males staring hungrily at her naked body. She could just barely see that one had metallically-gleaming black hair, while the other had metallic-red hair.
"Oh-ho! They sure does, Teranel! I's always wanted to fuck me a Saiyan bitch. Looks like we's gets a chance!" The two of them started towards her with identical feral grins.
She closed her eyes and growled weakly. This was nowhere near what she had in mind for her last moments. But there wasn't much she could do about it. As weak as she was, she imagined that even these two weaklings would be too much for her to handle…
But, then again, she wasn't about to let them have their way with her. Only one man could touch her body that way…
And if she had anything to say about, only Bardock would ever touch her body.
She opened her eyes and shifted her arms to push herself into a reclining position. She glared up at the now-frozen Jynn-jins, heat flooding through her small, naked, frame.
"What…was that?" she growled out. She struggled to her feet, staggering and nearly falling back to the ground. She spread her feet and extended her tail out to add extra balance. Her heart hammered against her fractured rib-cage and she struggled to suck air into her aching lungs. Her eyes drooped low and she fought against a wave of fatigue that threatened to envelop her in darkness.
"I said…what…was that? You two…want a piece…of me? Well…come on. 'Cause…it sure as hell…won't be without…a fight." She forced a strained smile and narrowed her eyes. "Well? What're…you waiting…for?"
The two men exchanged glances and then looked at her warily.
The first who had spoked, Teranel, grinned. "Oh we'll gets a piece o' that ass. You can betcha life on that!" He laughed and started towards her.
"Not a chance," she seethed under her breath. He lunged towards her and grabbed her arm, which she immediately jerked free, nearly toppling backwards to the ground. Regaining her balance she brought her other hand up, driving the flat of her palm into his nose and lifting him from his feet.
He hit the ground on his back, his lifeless eyes staring up in surprise at the starry sky while his grin remained plastered on his face.
Seripa cut her eyes towards the other man and she grinned weakly. "Well?"
The other man took two steps backward and then turned and ran for the hills. Seripa chuckled under her breath and then immediately fell to her back, landing on top of Bardock's still rising and falling chest. A faint 'oof' from him brought a smile to her lips as she closed her eyes and sucked in breath after breath into her greedy lungs.
A sudden 'whooshing' sound made her open her eyes and she looked over to see an ovular ship descending just beyond the edge of the crater. She stared at it long enough to see Berik suddenly exit and rush towards them. She grinned again and closed her eyes.
Maybe we will survive after all, she thought as darkness closed all around her.
DBZ
(I want to thank all those that reviewed the last chapter and I want to appreciate all of the support I have received for this story. I apologize for the lateness of this chapter -I seem to be apologizing a lot :/- but as I have said before: life happens. And mine...well, it is getting better. I don't want to share too much, but I will tell you that I made too many bad decisions even before I started writing this story. Those decisions have held me back, but now I am beginning to make new, better ones. My mind is clearing up and I'm starting to see what I need to do in life. I have fallen a long way, so I have an equally long way to climb up. But I want to thank you all, each and every one of you that has read this story and that has reviewed it. I know, thanks to the traffic stats, that there are more people reading than are reviewing. That doesn't bother me because the fact that it's being read as much as it is gives me a swell of pride. I've always been iffy of my writing skills, but apparently they're better than I had thought. Allow me a brief amount of conceit, because I'm not a conceited person. lol Anyway, please continue to R/R and please bear with me. I have a feeling that we are ALL in for a wild ride from here on out. I don't think this story is even half done. Individual Lies out.)
