Chapter 16: Guru's Help
A while later we were both safe at the cave. Bulma threw a fit when she saw me and nearly forgot all about the Dragonball.
The couch felt so good compared to the rocky grounds as I leaned back and almost passed out right there. Bulma came in with a first aid kit and started to work on me. My cuts were stinging but I knew the disinfectant was working.
"Oh… this cut on your arm. I think it needs to be stitched up." Bulma said.
"So? Do it." I replied.
"But I… I couldn't do it." Bulma said. I looked over at Gohan, and he turned pale. I sighed.
"Alright, get me the stuff. I've done this before." I replied.
"What? You have?" Bulma asked, she went on and got the needle and thread. It was all we have.
"Yeah, when I was training out in the wilderness. I got cut deeper than this and had to stitch it up." I said. I dipped the needle into the disinfectant and heated it with my Ki. I started the job. It hurt, so I had to stop between each stick. Gohan and Bulma couldn't watch.
I got it done and sighed with relief. I cut the thread and threw out the remains.
"Dad would never be able to do that." Gohan said. I smirked. It was kind of cool thinking that I could do something Goku couldn't.
"So Katie, how'd you get this bad anyway?" Bulma asked. I sighed as I started to explain.
"Remember how I told you that Vegeta was my favorite character?" they nodded, "Well… he was fighting Zarbon, one of Frieza's most powerful minions. I went to make sure things would happen as they should. And I… lost control. I attacked Zarbon. It didn't last very long… and then Vegeta… he… he saved me. He stopped Zarbon right when he was about to kill me."
"What?"
"So what happened to Vegeta and this Zarbon guy?" Gohan asked.
"Zarbon completely thrashed me, but Vegeta was hurt worse. He took Vegeta back to Frieza, and I couldn't stop him. But I did help Vegeta, I guess. I convinced Zarbon to heal Vegeta and in exchange I told him where to find a Dragonball. But-" I said before they could react, "I lied."
"So now what? When he finds out-"
"He won't." I said.
"Hey! I'm back, and I got it! I got the Dragonball!" Krillen ran in, but when he saw me he nearly dropped the Dragonball, "Katie! What happened?"
"You know that fight you sensed involving Vegeta? I was in it." I said.
"Oh, well, you guys gotta come with me. You see, the eldest Namek released my sleeping powers, and he can do it for you two too!"
"What? He will?" I asked.
"Yeah, he did the same to Dende too!" Krillen said.
"Then lets go!" I said, getting up. But I stood up to fast and fell back to my knees. I got up slower this time.
"Katie, maybe you should-"
"I'll need help, I get that. You're not going without me." I replied.
"Yeah, okay. Uh… I need a word with Gohan for a second." Krillen said.
"Huh? Sure…"
Krillen took Gohan aside, outside. I looked out, worried and wondering what he couldn't tell me.
Is he… scared of me? Are they all scared of me?
"Bulma?"
"Huh? Oh, what?" she asked.
"Are you scared of me?"
"Katie…"
"Are you scared of me?" I asked a little harder.
"Katie, I am not afraid of you. But… when you go feral… yeah, you scare me. And of course, because of Vegeta…"
"You guys think I might join with him?" I asked.
"Yes." Bulma said. Her voice was cracking.
I laughed, both in anger and in the irony.
"Bulma… thank you for being honest. But I swear, I am not going to join Vegeta. I'm not like that. I am a Saiyan… but so are Goku and Gohan. Once I can get control of my feral side, you'll see. You'll think all of this fear was ridiculous." I said, looking back at the doorway. Krillen and Gohan came back in.
"Ready to go?" Krillen asked.
"Answer me this first. Are you guys scared of me?"
"Katie-"
"Shit, can't anyone just answer me? Please, just answer me!"
"Well… when you're feral… and then you like Vegeta…"
"Okay… I get it. I just explained all of this to Bulma. I am not going to join Vegeta… and I promise I will gain control over my feral side. Just please, trust me. That's all I want… just to be trusted…"
Well, I was exhausted and filled with hormones, and I began to cry. I was just sick of it. I held my face to hide my shame streaking my cheeks.
"I'm sick of this… I don't want to be feral… I don't want to scare you… I just want to be trusted. I just want to help… I have to…"
"Katie." I looked up and Gohan as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "You don't scare me, aunt Katie. I trust you, we just had to figure this out. Vegeta's your hero, but I saw how you tried to fight him on your own. You know what is right and what is wrong."
"Yeah, its just… if you went feral… you might decide to stay that way… and then you'd most likely want to be with someone who would be like you. Of course, that's Vegeta we were thinking about." Krillen said.
"Maybe… maybe Guru could help me. I know the future, guys. I wouldn't join Vegeta." I said.
"See, no problem. Now let's go see Guru." Gohan said.
So we took to the air and Krillen pretty much carried me as we flew. My arm was over his shoulders as we went.
"So… did Vegeta really save you, Katie?" Krillen asked.
"Gohan told you, huh? Yeah… I'm so confused."
"How's that?" Krillen asked. He always listened to me.
"Well… Raditz thought I was his sister, but he was going to kill me anyway. Vegeta… he said he hated me… but because I'm a Saiyan we need to stick together… so he helped me."
"Hey, he did the same to me." Gohan said.
"What?" Krillen asked. I closed my eyes as I listened. I was very tired.
"When I found a Dragonball and I started back to the cave, he found me. I hid the Dragonball. He said we were like brothers because we were the last of our kind, but then he kneed me in the stomach and left."
"Yeah… that's Vegeta…"
"Katie, are you sure you're okay?" Krillen asked.
"I'm just tired, I promise." I said, opening my eyes to look at him.
"We'll, okay, but we have a long flight ahead."
"Yeah… I know." I said.
XxX
"Katie? Hey, wake up. Katie!" I opened my eyes.
"Huh? Oh, did I fall asleep?"
"Yeah, you did kid. We're at Guru's place, come on." I stood up as Krillen landed. I'm taller than him obviously, so if I hadn't stood up I would have been on my knees.
I looked up at the dome building. I looked and noticed how high up we were, and I felt dizzy.
"Are you sure you're up to this, Katie? You look pale." Gohan said.
"Uh… yeah, well… it's just… I'm a bit… acrophobic." I said.
"What? You're afraid of heights? But, you've been flying for over a year now kid. Why would you get scared now?"
"I… I dunno… maybe because I'm not flying?"
"You're weird… then again, my dad is scared of needles, yet he took a blast through the chest to stop Raditz." Gohan shrugged.
"Hey! Katie!" Dende ran out and waved to us.
"Oh, hey squirt." I said.
"Wow… Krillen said he felt your Ki near that Vegeta and other guy's energies earlier. Was that it?"
"Yeah, I was there." I sighed.
Another Namekian came out and greeted us. I recognized him almost immediately.
"So, these are your friends, Dende?" Nail asked.
"Yes. The taller one is what other races call a 'female'. She helped me a lot when my home was attacked."
"Female, huh? Guru has mentioned such a branch of a race. Tell me, are you stronger or weaker than 'males'?"
"Well…" I scratched my head, trying to figure out how to explain this for an asexual race, especially one that leaned toward masculinity, "Technically, females aren't really all that different. Different people say we're weaker, some say we're stronger. I believe females can do anything males can do. It depends on the female. And in most other races it's the females that bare children." I explained.
"Hm… I see… Guru will see you." Nail turned and walked in.
"Thank you." Gohan said, running in after Nail.
"Ha! Nail likes you, Katie!" Dende said, following after Nail and Gohan.
"If that means he likes you, I'd hate to see him angry." Krillen said.
I walked into the house and floated up to the top story. Gohan and I stood and waited. Krillen came in behind me.
"Guru, these are my friends I was talking to you about."
"Yes… young boy, come here."
I felt so tired as I stood before Guru. He started his thing with Gohan, and the power boost I felt shocked me wide awake. It was such an increase.
"Wow, thank you, Mr. Guru!"
"No thanks needed, child." Guru started coughing, and Nail and Dende stepped closer to him. He waved his hand to them.
"Child, please, don't be shy. I wish to open your hidden powers, too." Guru addressed me.
"Oh! Yes, sir." I walked over and his massive yet gentle hand was placed over my head.
As I stood there, nervous of what was going to happen, I felt a peace wash over me and suddenly I wasn't so homesick. A feeling of belonging came over me, and then a feeling I can only describe as a snap or a pop was released from deep inside, and then I felt strength fill my body. My pain faded and I was healed as well. I felt so strong, I could only stare at my hands in disbelief.
"Wow… this is… so much… thank you, honorable Guru." I said.
"So, you have arrived. The girl from the other earth." He said after he was finished.
"Dende said you knew of me." I replied.
"You have been in my dreams for many nights. You are to become great." Guru said as a wave of coughs came from deep inside.
"Guru!" Nail cried.
"Hush now, Nail. I'm all right. Katie, on this day your powers have been opened. You were brought here to do good. Use my gift well."
"Um… Guru? I… I h-have something I need your help with, if you don't mind, that is."
"I know. Your feral side has frightened you and your friends. But from now on, as I have awoken your sleeping powers, control will become much easier. Listen closely. You will no longer have to fear an unwanted change into this feral Saiyan, but when you do release her, tread carefully, for it will be much stronger. Anger can unlock it, so you must be wary of that as well."
"So it's like a transformation now?" I asked.
"Yes, very close to a transformation." He responded.
"That's great… now I don't have to worry about losing control at a bad time… Guru, do you know why I'm here?" I asked.
"No, but my visions told me you were here to save us. I don't mean us as in Namekians, but this entire universe. I do not know any of your destiny, but when you were brought here it changed. You have a new destiny, and you must fulfill it. After the things you know to happen have happened, you will be ready to save us."
Guru was tired and we left, I bowed in gratitude and respect, the proper Japanese custom, and we headed back to the cave.
Good… now I won't have to scare them anymore…
I looked back at Krillen and Gohan. I was relieved I wouldn't end up just suddenly going feral and killing them. I could always warn them first.
"Oh, great!" I said. I stopped and so did the others.
"What is it, Katie?" Gohan asked.
"I almost forgot, Vegeta's coming."
"How could you forget something like that!" Krillen called.
"What do we do, Katie?" Gohan said.
"We wait for Vegeta." I said calmly.
"What!"
"Trust me."
A moment passed and Vegeta came into view. He has his Dragonballs with him. And by his, I mean ours as well.
"Alright, hand over the Dragonball and I won't kill you. Yet."
"Katie!" Krillen whispered anxiously.
"Well!" Vegeta said, less calm.
"We don't have it, you do. See the one star ball? That was Guru's Dragonball." I said.
Then we felt it: the Ginyu force was near.
"What's that?" Krillen asks scared. It was ironic, but if they hadn't shown up, Vegeta would have killed us.
"The Ginyu force, Frieza's elite fighting force." Vegeta explained.
"We better team up so we can defeat them. We'll worry about who gets the Dragonballs later." I suggested.
"Right." Vegeta agreed, though Krillen and Gohan weren't so sure.
AS22: So now Katie's feral problems are... made easier. But how will this help her in the future? well R&R to find out!