I suppose I have some explaining to do. The whole 18 having the power to expose Lena's memories was the quickest, most efficient way to reveal all of the troubling issues Lena endured to get to where she was currently. I know it was a bit much all at once and not a power 18 had, but it was the easiest way to get EVERYONE close to Lena to find out about her past at one time and why not add abilities like that? Imagine if I had to repeat that information to each of her friends individually; it would be ridiculous! So, please forgive me for that last chapter of drama! I hope this one is more enjoyable to read! Thank you all for your constructive feedback, I love it!
Overcoming the Past
18 continued to stare thoughtfully into Lena's blurred eyes.
"I did recognize your face after all. I suppose that you know that your beloved survived too. That he has been using your time toy to taunt you even despite your efforts of preventing that. All you managed to do that day was send the battle to a different year. I guess you weren't as clever as you thought."
Oh, no. I am as clever as I thought. Someone alien intervened and ruined all of my plans, Lena bitterly thought, but kept her opinions internal.
"At least now I can move on knowing that you had no intention or clear knowledge of crafting us. I forgive you," 18 finished, respectfully.
Krillin lowered himself to 18's sitting position and patted her back in support.
"I don't need or desire your forgiveness. What I need is a drink," Lena muttered.
Her shallow breaths deepened as she neared hyperventilation. All of the nasty lies she kept secret, all of the pained heartache she submerged deeply away were now exposed. She had never felt so naked. Her heart palpitated as her eyes met Raditz's cold, black ones. She faintly heard Goku whisper urgently to Vegeta. She could be facing serious consequences. Lena wasn't sure if it was foolishness, fear, or embarrassment, but one or all prompted her to her feet and into a full run away from the audience. She felt the others remain behind, including Raditz who was being held back by his brother and Vegeta.
She managed to get to her sanctuary of a garage where she found a capsule she knew concealed another motorized cycle. She launched it and sped away from the home, the city, and towards the church she once called home. Her stomach lurched as she steadily neared the exit of town.
Nerves. It's just nerves and a late reaction of shock at what just happened. Lena repeated to herself.
The warm wind chilled her as it sifted through her netted swimsuit cover. The orphanage was closer and that was where she knew she would find him. That was where her life had started. She eased her ride to a stop and cautiously stepped towards the church that sealed her past.
The second her feet hit the marble floor, she collapsed. She did something she had refused to do in many years—cry. She allowed her frayed emotions to beat at her self-control. She allowed her integrity to disintegrate and be replaced with pity and self-loathing. She even allowed the sting from her concrete induced scratches from her fall at the pool side strengthen her desire to sob like a child.
She would have remained in her distraught state if the sharp sound of a cough hadn't interrupted her.
~Chi-Chi's POV
I knew the second Lena fled, she would find a way to get far from here and back to the place she last considered a home environment. Bulma agreed to remain at her garage in case she came back before I could reach her. Goku, Vegeta, and Raditz remained in place; shock was not something they appeared to handle very well. So, I used the information from Bulma about the empty box weeks ago, the envelope that had the orphanage's address listed, and the fresh memories robbed from Lena to find her.
Chi-Chi stepped towards the crying young woman she befriended years ago, clearly unsure of what to say. She remained silent as she observed the broken girl. She noted the still bleeding scratches decorating Lena's back that matched the netted fabric laced over her. Lena looked so pitiful, frail. Fragility was not a look she ever imagined she would see painted on the once-peaceful blonde. However, there was more than that she noticed. Lena possessed a glow; a glow that Chi-Chi hadn't seen since she and Bulma had their sons.
Which would explain A LOT.
"Ahem," Chi-Chi coughed to gather Lena's attention.
"Chi-Chi?" Lena mumbled, "I hate to admit it, but you were the last person I thought would find me first."
"Is that what our relationship has come to?" Chi-Chi teased.
"It's not that as much as, I was expecting someone else to reach me before any of my friends or family did is all."
"Hmm… okay, well I'm here now so don't worry about that. Lena, I…I can't say anything that will erase the past or alleviate your heartache. I just want you to know that none of that matters. None of us; not even Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, or any of the others would ever hold that against you. Look at all that you have achieved since! You are brave, strong, and compassionate. Stop searching for answers from the time before you could remember, stop running from that ex Sixteen of yours. He cannot hurt you anymore. Come on, let's get you to a doctor and clean your wounds."
"I'm fine. A shower and alcohol is all I need," Lena responded light-heartedly. She was feeling slightly relieved now that everything was out in the open and that she got a good cry out.
"I would feel better knowing that a doctor has checked over you. Just because the wounds look shallow, doesn't mean that there isn't internal trauma like broken ribs or something. How about a hot tea instead of liquor?" Chi-Chi sputtered, desperately grasping for a reason to convince Lena to see a doctor so that she can confirm her suspicions.
"You're right. I'm not going to win an argument with you anyway!" Lena teased. At that moment, a wave of nausea hit her. That wasn't all, though. The hidden bite wound given to her a month ago began to burn and Lena desperately felt the need to wrap her arms around Raditz's firm waist. She longed to have his fingers gently tug through her hair among other things.
What am I thinking?! It's just the stress and shock of everything that just happened. Who wouldn't want comfort after that…even if it's a romantic type of comfort. Lena thought, justifying her irrationality.
"Are you feeling okay?" Chi-Chi asked, seeing the odd sensations reflect on Lena's face.
Lena was unable to answer immediately. A deep chuckle prevented them from continuing their conversation.
~Bulma's POV in Lena's garage
I loudly paced around Lena's metal shelter, carefully stomping on any debris covering the floor.
How dare she leave without speaking to me first? How dare she let this building I have given her to work at her own pace in her own peace get so sloppy?! Wait, the last time I came in here was in search of that box and this place was a little messy, but not like this. The more I think about it the more this room looks like it's been ransacked! Oh my! Someone has been in here searching for something, or someone!
"Are you Vegeta's bitch now?" a stranger inquired, snapping my attention back to my surroundings.
"And if I am?" I hotly replied, recognizing the blue being in the room with me.
"You should have answered differently. You're coming with me," Burter laughed and seized me before I could cry out in defense. Vegeta better kick his ass when he finds us.
~Chi-Chi and Lena
"Sixteen," Lena answered the dark laughter beside her and Chi-Chi.
"Indeed. The happy, optimistic, soft-spoken 16 you once knew."
"You are none of those things. I'm starting to believe that you never were."
"Ah, but I was. That is, I was until I discovered who made me."
"I didn't make you! That wasn't my intention. You know this!" Lena began to shout anxiously. Chi-Chi remained quiet and searched for an escape while the enemy was distracted.
"Not only that, but I am still alive because of you too. Because of this," he replied, lifting up the time traveling remote, "you do realize that it would have worked if it were not for an alien interference, right?"
"Catsearia," Lena whispered.
"Yes. Time traveling is a nasty business and shouldn't be done at all. You made quite a rift in the pattern of ages. You see, female Saiyans are a motely bunch. They have a knack for reincarnating themselves to ensure that their race survives. Apparently the one that used you was the last, thus forcing her soul into the closest species to their own genetics. Who would have thought that by pressing this little button, that you would have been the result of that! You attracted her panicked spirit like a magnet and now you've caused a muddle. Not only did your act slowly unravel that time line, but those close to Catsearia as well. The gates of hell made way for Raditz, but he wasn't the only one. Oh no, his most hated enemy is alive and growing in strength as well."
"What, who is he speaking of Chi-Chi? Who is this monster that Raditz would be afraid of?" Lena moaned.
"It can't be. No, no, no," Chi-Chi stuttered, unable to answer.
"That's right. I have been sent to collect you, Lena. To collect that vagabond Saiyan who has been hiding in you until now. She is to be destroyed once and for all; you are to be destroyed," 16 explained.
"So this is why you have been bothering me? To send me to my death—a death that isn't even mine?"
Images of Lena's frightened face when she first stepped into the orphanage flooded 16's mind. Her large, green eyes full of worry and curiosity, her puckered bottom lip as he tried to flirt with her all of those years ago, her long gold hair tucked behind her ears, all attributes he had once dreamed of belonging to him one day.
"Yes, Lena," Sixteen managed to choke out as he turned away from her.
Before the two terrified girls could say or act, another figure grabbed them.
"Jeice! Let's go!" 16 demanded and selected an option from the remote to take them away.
~Vegeta, Goku, Raditz
"The only logical place is here, Raditz!" Vegeta spat for the thousandth time. He and the other Earth protectors split and went in search for the runaway Lena. They agreed to let Bulma stay behind in case of Lena's return. However, Vegeta had a disturbing feeling that was a mistake. He let his worries remain unvoiced as he focused his attention on calming Raditz. The fool was wreaking havoc in every step he took and had every right to be angry with he and his brother since they were the ones that held him back to begin with. Had they just let him chase after his lover, the situation would have been contained to the house, but no. Things had gotten out of hand when Lena uncharacteristically left the place instead of remaining cowardly hidden in her workplace; which was as usual with females. As far as they knew, Chi-Chi was supposed to have gone back to her home along with Trunks, Goten, and Gohan. At least, that was what she said she was doing.
The minute Kakarot discovered her presence missing from the house and the excuse Gohan provided as to why she wasn't with them, shit got messier. It turns out that the bossy bitch went in search for the damned blonde on her own. All the while, Raditz's temper burned enough to melt the planet to its core.
"None of this would be happening if you fucking imbeciles didn't hold me back! Not only do we have no fucking clue as to where she could be, but it seems that not only her scent, but Bulma's and Chi-Chi's as well have vanished! When, not if, I find her and she is damaged in any way, I will send this worthless, piss-hole of world to the worst fucking hell in the entirety of this universe!" Raditz ranted.
Normally Kakarot would respond with a "don't be so dramatic" statement in his disturbingly cherry voice, but not this time. Not when the only humans who were worth a shit were suddenly missing. What was worse was that they sensed foes that should have been dead. Their trace vanished the second their mates did. This could only mean that where the bastards were, so were his Bulma, Kakarot's Chi-Chi, and Raditz's Lena.