I woke up and looked around. I thought I had died, but I guess not. The sky was dark, filled with stars and the smell of smoke. I also caught another sent, one that made my stomach growl.
"About time you woke up." I looked over and saw Piccolo. Gohan was still sleeping. It was dark, and the fire was the only light around. I had a bandage around my arm and shoulder.
"What happened?" I asked."You risked your life to save me. I treated your wounds and brought you here to train. I did the same for Son Goku's boy."
"Why?" I rubbed my head, trying to think. I looked, and saw the source of the smell. It was some bloody clothing, my clothing. It was the scent of the blood that caught my attention. I felt sick and shook my head. I had a white shirt like Gohan's on. It was under the clothes I borrowed from Goku before the party.
"I figured the boy has a great hidden power, as you saw with the fight earlier today. Since you're related, I thought your talents might need developing as well."
"I guess I'm flattered." All I wanted was a chance to prove myself, so now I have one."So you do know who I am. Then you know I won't take it easy on you or him just because you're kids."
"I know. I don't expect to be treated any different." I flattened out on the ground and looked to the stars. The moon wasn't showing. "I'm gonna warn you about a full moon."
"How's that?""Saiyans, like Goku, Gohan, and I, transform into giant apes during a full moon. Our power increases ten-fold. If it does happen, you have to cut off our tails. A child's tail will grow back, but not an adult's."
"But how did you know about Saiyans?"
"Well, I…" How do I tell him? Technically he's a good guy right now… "I know the future. It's a long story."
Piccolo stared at me, then to the sky. He sighed.
"I see. Well, you better rest. Living out here on your own is the first lesson. After a few months I'll return." Piccolo stood and started to walk off.
"Wait!"
Piccolo stopped.
"What?"
"I know about Gohan's hidden powers. But if you leave me with him, I'll overprotect him. I won't mean to, but I know I will. He'll break my heart, and I'll end up protecting him, and then his powers won't come to the surface."
"I see your point, but someone has to make sure he doesn't get himself killed. That's you."
"Piccolo… thanks for bringing me out here. I'd rather train with you than the humans. They'd take it easy on me."
"See you in 6 months." Then Piccolo flew off.
I looked up to the stars as I thought.
I'm a full blooded Saiyan… I can become stronger just by healing from this attack… but can I live out here? Am I supposed to even help? Maybe this is just some weird coincidence.
How long will I be stuck here? How long will I live here? Will I go to Namek? Will I fight Vegeta? Damn… what now?
XxX
That morning a loud wailing sound woke me up. I shot up from a weak sleep and winced from pain racing down my arm. I looked and saw the source of my alarm-clock, a crying and scared little boy.
"Gohan? It's okay, I'm here with you." I said, trying to sound as motherly as possible.
"Where- where are we? Where are my mommy and daddy?""We're in the wilds, learning to survive for a training session. We're going to fight the Saiyans when they come in one year. Piccolo brought us out here. And Goku… he's… dead. Raditz killed him, but he'll come back."
"My daddy's dead? But… but… but…"
I have to be tough, for both of us…
"Shut up and stop crying, that won't help."
"But... Aunt Katie…"
"Will crying bring Goku back? Will tears stop the Saiyans? No, we have to be tough. Come on, we'll go find some breakfast, then some shelter."
"Okay…" he was still teary, but he wasn't wailing now. I got up and he took my hand.
Well… I guess we can at least do this and not be 'weak'…We started walking toward the woods. There would be berries or fruit in there, and then after we ate we could find a cave or something.
"Why did Mr. Piccolo bring us out here?" Gohan asked, wiping away his tears, "Can't he and daddy stop the say-mans?"
"No, Gohan, they can't stop the Saiyans. Not alone."
"So why us?" he asked again.
"You have a great hidden power, Gohan."
"I do? No… no, I don't, I'm just a little boy."
"It's that kind of thinking that has to stop. You can't remember, but you tackled Raditz, and your one hit did more damage than anything your dad or Piccolo had done."
"So why are you out here?"
"Because Piccolo thinks I can help too. We are related."
No, but I am a Saiyan too…"Oh…"
He shut up as we walked. We got to a bush filled with little red berries.
"Oh, good. Gohan, do you know what these are?"
"Yeah! My daddy and me pick these kinds of berries all the time! They're really good!" Gohan said, running to pick the berries.
I sat down, feeling dizzy. Gohan was only half-Saiyan, but I was full blooded and starving. I grabbed a handful of the berries and ate them. They were good, and I started to feel better after another handful.
There's no way I can survive on berries alone… I need more food, much more… but what is there?
Then I smelled something, something really good that I didn't recognize. I looked over to Gohan, who was still eating berries.
"Gohan, stay here and save some of those for later. I'll be right back."
"Okay…" he said, stuffing his mouth full of more berries.
I got up and followed the scent deeper into the woods. I couldn't place the smell, but something told me it was food. My stomach growled again. I got low as I crawled toward the smell, through a small stream.
The hackles on my tail rose up as I crept closer to the smell. I bared my fangs as I took a few more steps. I got to the smell and growled.
It was a deer, a dead one, and a pack of wolves was feeding on it. I growled again and roared, scaring them away. I got closer, longing to sink my teeth into the flesh, to taste the blood. I put my hands on it and rolled it over to a more comfortable position. I lowered my teeth into the skin.
Suddenly I saw what I was doing. I got up and backed off, staring at the deer. I looked at my own hands, covered in its blood. I hadn't bit in, but I was so close.
"What… what was that… what am I doing?"I shook violently as I looked at the deer. I nearly bit into it. I nearly ripped it apart. I nearly ate it in an animalistic way. I went to the water and washed off my hands and face.
I … I wanted to taste the blood… the flesh… what's wrong with me?
"If this is the price for being a Saiyan, I take it back!" I cried, "I'd rather be human and in control of my instincts than a beast!"
I fell to my knees and cried. I looked back, and the wolves were returning. They looked scared. I had scared them, creatures I use to admire.
Marina… Smokey… I miss them…I thought back on my home as I cried. My neighbors, long time family friends, raised wolf-dogs. The 'alphas' were Marina and Smokey. We'd wrestle and play, and they never even attempted to bite me. They'd snap at my dad or my brother, but I was like a member of the pack.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… eat the deer, at least you earned it." I said. One of the wolves came over and looked at me, then to the deer. It barked and the others started to eat.
I almost did that… I lost control…I got up and walked back toward Gohan. He was sitting by a tree with his hat filled with berries. I noticed the Dragonball was gone. Bulma must have it.
"Where'd you go?" he asked.
"I found some water that way. I'll have to think of a way to carry back to a shelter. Come on, let's go."