With untamed fury I fought, claws open, teeth gnashing on bone. This time the t-rex would not chase me off. I roared in defiance when it took another step closer to me. It roared in reply, kneeling down lower in an attempt to intimidate me. Saliva dripped from its jaws as it came closer.
I jumped and landed on its back. I dug my claws into the dinosaur's side. It roared and started to thrash, so I dug in deeper. I roared again and took a claw, slashing the skin across the neck. It fell to the ground and didn't move again.
I jumped off and roared, howling to the crescent moon. I had won another battle in the wilderness, but somewhere in the back of my mind it didn't feel right.
Only the strong survive… if I fight my instincts I'll be weak, I was weak until I let my instincts work.
I went to the lake and drank deeply, cooling my raw throat. I washed the blood off my hands and curled up onto my nest in my cave. The cave mouth faced south, so I could see the sun rise and set from inside my cave.
The smell of the rotting meat will attract smaller things that I can eat later… no need to eat the t-rex yet.
I was warned about this place… but why? By who?I snorted and stretch, pushing the memories away. It didn't matter, I was here and fine. It was 7 moons since I left that place with the demons.
I'm a solitary creature of the night, and it was better than anything I could remember.
What was it like before the freedom? Not good… weak… Why do I keep thinking back on those days…I heard rustling, so I stood and crept to the entrance of the home. A shadow passed over the water. I searched the sky, but saw nothing. I sniffed the air, but the dead t-rex/ dinner trap smell covered the air. I growled in warning and went back to my nest.
"Katie! Son Katie, come out here!"
I jumped to the entrance and growled. Someone was out there and taunting me. I sniffed the air, and up above me was the shadow from before. It was a green creature with a long white cape and purple/dark blue clothing. My own articles were ragged and dirty, the legs almost all gone and only the white shirt covering my chest. His face was sour and a little scared.
The fear… it excites me. It smells so good…
"Stand tall! You're a Saiyan, not a beast!""Passoron! Ka slith Namekian sclum!" I growled.
"What? You're speaking nonsense. Come on, I'll take you back-"I paid him no heed as I pounced at him. He dodged, and I spun around and tackled him.
"Katie, stop it!"I jumped again and dug my extended claws into his arm. He roared in pain as he threw me off. I roared and jumped at him again. He side-stepped and hit me with a chop in the back. I hit the ground, and he rolled me over to my back and held me down with his foot.
"Dammit Son! Open your eyes! Listen to me! You are Katie, not a beast! Now snap out of it and let Mychal and Kattalia help you!"
"Ka… Kattalia?" What? Sounds familiar."That's right, Kattalia, you ran away from her a week ago."
I ran away… I killed an animal and ate it… so why did I run from that?"You ran because it scared you. Remember, you are a Saiyan! You have self-awareness! Dammit, I'd beat the shit out of you if I didn't think it'd make you worse! Katie! Remember Gohan! Remember the Saiyans!"
"P… Piccolo…""That's right, I'm Piccolo." He took his foot off my chest and turned toward the t-rex.
"I did that." I said, shaking my head.
"I figured as much. Now, focus. Remember why I brought you to the wilderness."
"To prepare for the Saiyans… Vegeta and Nappa… I was losing control over my instincts… I let them control me…"
"Yes, and now you must regain control over your instincts. You're not human, that's why you're failing. Use your instincts without losing control."
"I'm not human… but I think like a human. I tried not to use my instincts because as a human they're… bad."
"That's it, remember your humanity. These feelings are only bad when used incorrectly." Piccolo said, walking closer.
"Gohan… is he okay?" I asked.
"He worries about you." He replied.
"I… I need help. I need someone who can… relate. I need a Saiyan. I know how to get one. I need you to take me to Kami."
"You don't know what you're saying. Let me take you back to Kattalia-"
"Oh gods! I remember it all!"
I fell to my knees and held my head as I remembered all I had done since leaving Kattalia and Mychal a week ago. I had killed for food, territory, and defense, but mostly just to kill something.
"I'm a monster… I'm a monster…""Only those who truly aren't monsters can say that they are monsters. Now get up!"
"Die, you Namekian scum… that's what I said a moment ago. I spoke my native Saiyan language somehow… how could I know it?" I asked, looking up to Piccolo.
"I can speak my native language just fine, and no one taught it to me." Piccolo said, pulling me to my feet. I looked to him as we took to the air.
We started fly, back to the cabin with the demon siblings that had offered me help. I hadgiven up too soon and ran off.
"Piccolo? Why are these lands so dangerous? I took care of myself fine.""I noticed." He glared over to me, "They're dangerous because you lose your memory. Your mind becomes unfocused and savage. It didn't help when your mind was already going that way."
"Kattalia and Mychal can't help me. I know it. Only a Saiyan can help me."
"Raditz said the Saiyan home world was destroyed. How will you do that?"
"Kami can help, but I need to know the way to the Lookout. I know you hate him, but can you at least tell me the way? I'll rest tonight and go tomorrow."
"I'll show you the way, but after this you're going back with me and Gohan. You need to be out there with him and not pampered by Kattalia. She thinks of you as a pet, like she did me." He growled.
"Jealous?"
"Of course not! Stupid mortal…" he growled. I did my best not to laugh.
"Piccolo… you're not a demon, you know…"
"How would- oh, yeah, the psychic thing. Then what am I?"
"A Namekian. I'll wait and tell you more later, when the time is right. I just want you to be clear that you are mortal like me."
"I'm not like you, girl." He hissed.
"No… you're stronger, and I don't just mean by power level." I said, shuddering from remembering all I had done.
I stopped talking then. I knew Piccolo wasn't a people person, and to tell the truth, his openness surprised me just now. Before that day when he found me at the waterfall, most of what he'd said was 'train harder', and then he'd leave.
"There it is. Alright kid, you're on your own. Kami's Lookout is about 200 miles that way." Piccolo pointed west, "Can't miss it. Just leave as the sun is rising and you'll get out of here."
"Where exactly is 'here'? What's it called?""Demon's Keep, for a mortal name." Piccolo said, "I must return to my own training. Looking for you has wasted valuable time." Then he took off.
Same old Piccolo… there's the house… this will be very awkward…I sighed as I landed. I felt dirty in many meanings of the word. I was covered in filth and blood, true, but it was all the killing I had done just made me feel dirty.
I landed in front of the door and knocked. It didn't take long for Kattalia to come to the door.
"Kitten? Is that you? By the gods and demons, what's happened?"
"Can I… come back?" I asked.
"Oh, of course, come on in." she moved aside and let me in. I headed toward my room, and she just followed me. I passed a sitting room and saw Mychal leaning back in a chair. When our eyes met I quickly looked away and kept going. Kattalia was trying to be quiet, but I heard her shush Mychal.
We climbed the stairs and once in my room, I sat on the bed and just looked at my feet.
"What happened, kitten?" she asked, standing in the doorway.
"I lost control and kept it that way." I replied.
"What do you plan to do about it?" she asked.
"I'm going to clean up, rest, and then go to Kami's Lookout."
"Damn, don't speak its name here!" she growled.
"Sorry. I'm going there for help. I realized I need help from a Saiyan, and he can help me there."
"I see. Well, you rest up and all that. I'll fix your clothes again before you leave too."
"Thank you, Kattalia. It's scary, you know? Not knowing if you might hurt a friend, or even a stranger."
"Well, it's good that you're scared. It shows you really want to stop.""But I also realized that I don't want to lose my instincts, just control them. I liked being able to take down a t-rex, but not just because it was in my territory. Normally I would have just left it alone."
"You're welcome to come back here, if you ever, you know, want to." Kattalia said.
"Thanks."
AS22: okay people, what does Katie have planned? well R&R to find out!