Chapter 5
"Sire," a familiar voice said, and he turned from his usual gazing, to look at the figure standing there.
"What is it you want?" he asked.
"She's starting to make out voices, and some fuzzy visions, but she seems frightened of it, not wanting to go so far back, while she had said she didn't mind when we had started."
"What kind of voices?"
"Both male and female, and they seem rather… familiar. But I can't place it. It's like I've heard practically everything before, but it's all so fuzzy."
"I can't blame you. You and her have both had the same strange seizures, though she has them more often, so I'm guessing there's some sort of connection between you and her."
"As long as it's nothing physical, I'm okay with it."
He chuckled.
"I can imagine. But what of the visions? What do they show?"
"So far, only fuzzy shadows, moving at rapid speeds, too fast for a normal human-eye to see it."
"I see."
"Sire, there is also something else."
"Oh, such as?"
"She had said something about… the Black Wind…"
His eyes were almost as large as saucers.
"What?!?!"
"I was shocked myself as well sire, and she said…"
"Spill it out already!"
"She said, and I quote: 'One among us… Will shortly perish…'."
It had been two days since the last meeting with the Dragon Riders, and now Bulma was ready to meet them again, but she hadn't been ready for the things she noticed about them.
They still dressed the same, yes, but the way they acted, was a different story. They were rather jumpy, and seemed to not trust anyone but their own friends. Laze seemed to be the worst of it. She seemed completely out of her element, as if she had witnessed the loss of a friend or relative not long ago.
"Since when did you start hanging around with the Dragon Riders?!" Chichi asked, a little mad at Bulma because she hadn't listened to Juu's advice.
"Does it matter?! And am I the only one who notices a change in them?!" Bulma countered, hands on her hips.
"Apparently, you are," Jay muttered.
Goku chose that moment to but in.
"I noticed a few changes in them too. Haelles' ears were constantly twitching one way or another, as if trying to make sure no one sneaks up on him."
Krillin snorted.
"Yeah right, as if anyone could kill them," he mumbled.
"For yer infermation, immortals don't exist," a familiar voice said.
Everyone jumped at it, but Laze, who had been the source of the voice, walked past them, wiping tiny beads of sweat and blood from her brow. Apparently, she had had a battle with Elvor once again.
"Hey Laze!" Bulma suddenly said, running to catch up to the golden haired girl.
Laze turned around.
"Here, your sister had given me permission to borrow her car, but I never had the chance to give it back. Could you give it to her?" Bulma asked, giving Laze the capsule that contained Anja's convertible.
Laze blinked.
"How'd ya know she was related ta me?" she asked.
"Strong resemblance between you two, that's how!" Bulma said with a smile.
Laze was silent for awhile.
"Is't really tha obvious?"
"Yes," Bulma said.
Laze's gaze suddenly shifted to Bulma's friends and she said: "Who spit in their breakfast this mornin'?"
Bulma turned to face her friends, who were each glaring at Laze with hate, besides Goku, who walked over when it seemed that they had nothing more to discuss.
"Hi."
"G'afternoon," Laze said with a nod of her head, and almost everyone stopped to watch if Laze would pound Goku to bits, like she did with practically everybody.
"You're a strong fighter, who was your master?" Goku asked.
"Some ol' geezer, runs a trainin' center downtown, goin' by the name of…"
"Master Roshi?"
Laze looked at Goku in shock.
"How the Bloody Hell did ya know?!" she demanded.
Goku scratched the back of his head with a stupid grin.
"I followed classes with him too."
Laze seemed to grow a sudden interest in the warrior.
"No kiddin'?"
"Nope. Oh, I don't think I ever introduced myself. I'm Goku, Son Goku," Goku said, extending his hand to her.
Practically everyone held their breath. No one had ever dared to do that, because the Dragon Riders had a tendency of slapping their hands so hard, that they broke. However…
Laze accepted the boy's hand.
"Milaya Laze Milen, nice meetin' ya," she said, shaking his hand.
The rest of the day simply flew by, and everyone had been utterly shocked by the fact that a Dragon Rider had been hostile to a non-gothic or non-Dragon Rider. Also, it seemed that the Dragon Riders began to grow more like their usual selves after Laze had met Goku. Almost as if they knew who could be trusted and whom not. It sounded utterly ridiculous, but that was all Bulma could make of it. Because Anja, although she had never known Bulma, had willingly borrowed her car to her, as if she knew that Bulma could be trusted. It was rather strange, but it was the only thing that made a little sense.
As the day ended, Bulma was about to head home, when she was confronted with…
"Yamcha!" Chichi said, surprised.
Yamcha looked as cool as ever, but for those with a careful eye, could see the hint of anger in his eyes.
"Bulma, why won't you accept the fact that you can never get over me? You know that you can't, not after all the things we've been through."
"Yamcha, I've told you enough times already, WE'RE THROUGH!!! T-H-R-O-U-G-H!!! Get that through that thick skull of yours for once!" Bulma screamed.
"Get lost, Yamcha, you lost her!" Juu said.
"Bulma, why won't you admit that it is our destiny to be together?" Yamcha continued, seeming not to hear Juu.
Bulma looked shocked.
"Destiny?"
"Don't you see? We were destined to be together."
Bulma hung her head, and was looking so ultimately thoughtful. The Dragon Riders turned from each other to Bulma, eyes wide at the mention of the word 'Destiny'. Bulma remembered the effect that single word had on them. It made them scared, as if it was a person that came out to kill them. She looked at them, and saw Laze, Norak, Ancle, Ancha, Zachana, Kaichi, Elvor, Haelles, Eneii, Vegeta… Her gaze lingered on him, and he seemed to tell her that Destiny and Fate could only lead to her doom. Bulma smiled and whispered an old poem she had heard two days prior.
"Insanity leads to chaos, then to solitude…
The fruitless effort of adding meaning to what is meaningless.
A lone crimson tear falls to the sea…
The echo of the remaining star cries out in the infinite vacuum.
The least I can do is send my distant prayers.
Over the wind of time, setting sail on dreams…"
Laze looked confused, as did Norak, while the others looked even more confused, not knowing what she meant.
Bulma smiled at Yamcha and said: "So, you believe in Fate and Destiny?"
Elvor and Haelles looked at each other, wondering why Bulma was repeating the things they had said two days ago. When it dawned to them, they smirked wickedly, and started whispering it around the other Dragon Riders, who were soon conversing about it, softly enough for people not to overhear them.
"Bulma Babe, you know I speak the truth. Accept your destiny!" Yamcha said.
Now Bulma knew what Vegeta had meant with what he had said. Yamcha was a pure believer, he believed that everyone had a destiny, and that fate could not be changed.
"You are a slick liar, Yamcha," Bulma hissed, and the Dragon Riders quieted down to hear what she had to say.
"Bulma---"
"SHUT UP!! YOU MAY BE A BELIEVER, BUT I SURE AS HELL AM NOT!!!" Bulma shouted, loud enough for the whole school to hear. "I MAKE MY OWN FATE AND DESTINY!! I WON'T LET ANOTHER CONTROL MY LIFE!! AND YOU MUST STAY OUT OF IT!!!"
Silence followed, with Yamcha looking horrified. No one spoke, when suddenly, loud cheers burst forth, and Bulma looked over to see the Dragon Riders cheering her on, even the ones she had never expected. Bulma smiled broadly at them, and then, the rest of the Goths joined the cheering, then Bulma's friends, and finally, all of the school!
Bulma couldn't believe it! Everyone was cheering; for her! Suddenly, the scene seemed to shift. She stood in an arena of some sorts, in the ring, and people were chanting her name, over and over again.
"Bulma! Bulma! Bulma! Bulma!"
Bulma let out a howl of joy, one no one had ever heard from her, but no one bothered; they just kept cheering at her, and no one noticed Yamcha running away, looking incredibly embarrassed.
Laze stopped the motorcycle, and got off after Bulma. Bulma was amazed by the size of the house. It was huge! Laze whipped a loose lock from her eyes, and smiled.
"It's not much, but it's nice 'nough."
Bulma had publicly embarrassed Yamcha about five days ago, and the vision of her standing in an arena in the center of attention kept returning. And she admitted to herself, she liked being in the center of attention, a lot! She had gone to Laze after 5 nights of torture so to speak, and confronted her on something Vegeta had offered, namely training.
At first, Laze had been confused, but she had finally agreed, and Anja and Norak would probably help too. They were now at Laze's house, which was in the darkest part of town, where the Dragon Riders lived. Strangely enough, the other Goths were too chicken to enter the darkest sections of the town. Rarely anyone but the Dragon Riders came there.
"Those guys don't know wha they're missin'," Laze said as she capsulized her motorcycle. "Ya shoul' see this place sometimes Bulma, ya woul'n't believe wha we do 'round here all the time."
Laze smiled at the thought.
"Laze, do you people show affection?" Bulma asked.
She spoke of the Dragon Riders as if they were a whole new race of people. Odd though. Laze and Bulma walked down the wondrous garden to the front door.
"Yeah we do, jus' not in the open. We might act like people who don't give a damn, but those're the masks we wear."
"So, what do you think of Elvor then?"
"Not much, jus' the fact tha he's not me type, if tha's where ye're gettin'. Besides, he's gotta relationship with Eneii goin' anyway."
Bulma looked shocked.
"Elvor with Eneii?!"
"Yep, perfect match somehow. They jus' fit."
"Uh, Laze?"
"Huh?"
"Could you talk without that accent? It's a little weird."
"Does it bother ya?"
"Uh… sort of."
"Hey! It does, or it doesn't, alrigh?"
"Okay, okay! It does! Happy now?!"
Laze was silent, then smirked violently.
"Yes."
"I hate you!"
Yeah, and I can think of a few people who hate me for stopping there. Well, at least Bulma's gonna fight now!
Reviews:
Soverign-of-Silence: Who else?
Hope: Yeah, well, now they're fully acquainted! But that doesn't mean there are no secrets between them.
Tracy: The ending of the previous chapter will be revealed in due time, don't worry.
saiyankyse: [snickers violently] I love making people confused! It's my job!
waterprincess: Thanks, and yeah, things will be explained later on.
Zev: Surprise!
Dark Angel: I'm not spoiling anything.
sorrow the silver dragon: This story seems to attract a lot of Dragon fans. Now how could that be?