Chapter 12
The Awakening
The girl had not spoken in the last 24 hours. In fact, she had not spoken in the last 48 hours, nor in the last 72 hours, not even in the last 96 hours. In total, five days had passed and she had not said a single word. Not one, single word. Her remarkable talent for taking pain was beginning to get tiresome.
But he figured that it didn't matter now. The girl could not stand, sit up, or move, for that matter. She was barely alive, clinging to a single thread of life-and she hung to it dearly. Reports had said that she could not even open her eyes. He now wondered if the last two days were a waste-she probably could not understand what they were saying to her, let alone answer. She would probably never walk again, much less live.
But then again, his son and grandson were in the same condition.
No one did something to the Vegeta family and got away with it. No one.
Another thing that he pondered was why she could hang on to live the way she did. She was, obviously, only female. He had never encountered any female that had not told everything on the first day of or torture, let alone not wail in pain and fear. But yet… yet this female had not made one attempt at a sentence, not at the start and not at the finish, nor had she cried. She took the pain as it was given, and had lived.
This is what he found so astonishing. Not even his mate was this strong. But then again, he had heard that she had been caught training-but a woman could not be that strong-
Or could she?
He shook the thoughts out of his head as he walked along the corridors to the informatory to see his injured family.
*******
The swirling darkness was whirling around him yet again, but this time it was not as thick. If he tried, he could make some progress through it. Not a lot, but some.
The first memory he encountered he grasped at, and for once actually caught it. Tugging the memory to the front of his mind, he could only perceive one thing.
People. He had people looking up to him.
His people? Friends? Family, fans? All of them? Which, he did not know; but now he had something to ponder as he waited for more memories to present themselves.
*******
Gohan sat at home in a numb daze. When he came to think about it, it never occurred to him to move. For the last five days he remained motionless, and unfeeling. He did not think, he did not eat, he did not sleep.
And it was beginning to show.
The saiyan had heavy bags under his eyes, and only after five days he was beginning to show signs of weight lose and dehydration. Bit still he did not move. Nor think. Nor eat, or sleep.
One thought continued to run a rampage though his mind, yet he paid it no attention.
Why?
*******
A victorious cry rang out from the harsh saiyan, one of the only resounding sounds he had heard the saiyan had make in a long, long time. The old King of Vegeta watched the saiyan bound into the room he was in.
"My King," he said with a hastened bow. "They say that Vegeta, bless his soul, will live through the night! He will recover!"
He could not help from breaking out in a grin. "Really now? When did they figure this out?" the old King asked.
"Just now, sir. I was sent to get you," the man said in an excited tone.
Hmmm, the preceding King thought. I have never seen him so excited before. But he wiped the thought away and replaced it with the good news. "And… the prince?"
"We are not so sure of him, sir."
The previous king nodded. "Thank you. That will be all, Doshen."
*******
As another memory drifted by, he grasped at it. He was getting quite good at it, now.
He now knew that he was someone of royal status, and the people earlier were his people, counting on him to awaken, but he did not know why, not yet. His people were counting on something else as well, but that remained another mystery.
This memory, though, was different from the others. It was more of a vision, then a thought or recollection.
He was in a swirling darkness again, but this darkness was different. He was spiraling around at a dizzying speed, and he was cold. So unbearably cold. And he was getting colder still.
Yet he continued to twist and turn, and he knew there was a destination, but just not what or where that destination was. And he was pretty sure he did not want to get there.
Abruptly, a warm shock brought the spinning to a sudden halt. Slowly, he began to spiral again-but he twirled the opposite way that he was originally going. He was spiraling up. And, surprisingly, he was getting warmer. Suddenly he stopped, and moved no more, and had therefore stayed in the same position, stuck in a whirling darkness.
It was where he was now; he had no doubt about that. But what did the memory mean?
*******
Niomi sat in the dungeon, pondering what she had heard. Could it possibly be true?
They had said that Pan had tried and could have possibly succeeded in assassinating the King and Prince of Vegeta. Niomi believed her when she had said that she didn't do it, but the evidence was heavy… she did have a shred of doubt. And now they said that they had tortured Pan for five days, and she was still alive. Could it be true?
Niomi sure as hell hoped so.
She sat in her cell. Be strong, Pan. You too, Prince, King. All of you, be strong so that you can come out together in the end, she thought to herself silently. She would not be able to bear to lose ay of them.
And Pan… She had the whole planet against her, maybe even her father. The only person on hr side was herself. How could Pan live with so little hope? No one was praying for her, they were wishing her to a nice time in hell. Niomi could only send her hope to Pan, who was all-alone in the world, and would have to pull through it herself.
No one would help her this time.
*******
Surprised, he realized that the darkness was fading. Something was coming to focus; yet he could not make out what it was.
Gingerly, tenderly, he was able to open one eye slowly, then the other.
Faces were crowed all around him, watching him eagerly as memory flooded back into his mind. For a brief moment, he couldn't understand where he was, and who these people were.
When it came to him, he grinned, and a cheer rallied through the crowd. "Long live the King! Long live the King!"
Their King lives, he thought with a joyous smirk. The excitement tired him quicker then he would have ever thought possible, and his eyes fluttered shut, as the celebration around him continued.
Once word was on the street, it was like a wild fire. People ran down the street, screaming and laughing, chattering and singing happily. Food was everywhere, though surprisingly enough, it was kept in an orderly manner, and the party lived on through the night and until the wee hours of the morning.
In fact, the party never stopped. Saiyans around the planet were rejoicing.
Their King was still alive.
Author's Note: Thank you SO much for the reviews!!! You guys spoil me so much. Hey-I never said I didn't like it though!
Sorry this was a little late too, I wanted to get it up yesterday, but didn't have the time (Track Championships again-but track's over now, and soccer is too ^-^ Yay!). Sorry about that, but I should have time now. Hey, I wanted to ask-should I up the rating to Rated-R for the violence? It's up to you guys, really. It doesn't make a difference to me.
Also-I would like to thank ALL of my reviewers!!! I might have a contest up sooner, but I don't know what it would be about or what the prize would be lol. Tell me what ya think og the idea, folks!