The Odyssey – 4
Upon the Face of the Deep -
Author's Note: Here we go with another chapter! Thanks to everyone again for reading, reviewing, following and all that. I want to toss a special shout out to Grin - your detailed reviews are very appreciated and you've kept me in line for sure! I'm honored you've found my work worth spending such time addressing, and I hope you continue to enjoy it.
XXX
Trunks wandered the ship, his mind in turmoil. He hated himself for what he had done, and wished there could be suitable punishment. The anguish might be punishment enough, he thought. For he was in agony – a confused, tortured mind state that made him sick.
"My god, she's fifteen." He said aloud to no one, tugging his hair with remorse. He knew that Saiyans matured early, and thought back to when he was that age. He had girlfriends and had done more than kiss.
But I'm so much older, he thought. That was the difference, and it disgusted him. He was supposed to be protecting her out here and taking care of her, not taking advantage like some pervert. He stopped and slumped against the wall in a corridor, leaning his head back.
I should've figured it out when she insisted on holding my hand earlier, and was clinging to me, he thought. He didn't mind, and enjoyed being close with her. The warning alert had sounded though before he had a chance to put it all together. She just had a crush on him, he figured. It was cute – flattering in a way, but he thought it would run it's course and she'd be back to normal soon. "If I didn't screw it all up by kissing her."
He was still stunned by the transformation she had made. Almost instantly, as she was leaning in to kiss him, he watched her go from his pretty, tomboy best friend to a beautiful woman, right before his eyes. In an flash, everything about her changed. Her posture relaxed into a lovely, graceful form, her eyes softened, her skin became radiant and he became fully aware of her femininity.
His emotions were already frazzled and his mind was fractured by the crisis with the ship, so when she kissed him it took him completely at unawares. But that was no excuse for returning the kiss. He knew he was double angry with himself too because something inside had wanted to do that.
She was lovely after all, and her brash forwardness had always been a quality Trunks loved about her. So when that same person moved from the realm of the platonic to the intimate, he couldn't resist the attraction.
"I'm just making excuses. It's pathetic." Trunks smacked his head back against the wall hard enough to dent the steel kickplate that spanned the hallway. So what if he was finding himself attracted to her? So what if their friendship and his feelings for her might be changing? No excuse.
"Boy, our family would be thrilled." He said dryly. Bulma and Chi-Chi both were always flitting about like bees, trying to sew their schemes in love. They both saw the relationship Trunks and Pan shared as a wonderful sign of a future bond and potential marriage. Trunks had been indignant when he heard them babbling about it one day, but he had never been able to find a good reason why it wouldn't work.
The age issue was the only one. He was ten years older than Pan, and at her age that was a lot. She was mature and smart and capable, but it still seemed wrong somehow. Was it really just the number of years that mattered? He sighed in exasperation; this was killing him. It was probably just some silly crush anyway. No need to get so worked up.
Trunks stood up and walked back toward the bridge. He still needed to plot the course for Rupta IV, the planet he had found to stop on for repairs. He hoped Pan would be gone. It was cowardly he knew, but he didn't think he'd be able to face her right now. He had nearly a decade on her, but it seemed she may well be the more stable between them.
The bridge was empty. Trunks sat and began altering the course of the ship. It was a simple matter – just a few keystrokes and it was done. He had a thought then that made him groan. All this time he had been so absorbed in his own feelings, he hadn't considered how Pan must feel. That was her first kiss, to his knowledge. What had it done to her to kiss someone and have him run away in disgust? He hoped she understood that he was upset with himself and not her, but he couldn't be sure.
I need to talk to her, he thought. Filled with dread, he stood and left the bridge, heading for her quarters. He thought about what he would say, and how he should behave. Should he pretend nothing had happened? Should he try to explain how he felt and why this was a problem?
Pan wasn't in her room. Trunks half considered going to his and staying there, but he had an idea of where she might be. She should have been my father's child, he thought. Sure enough, he found her in the gym.
She was darting about in training, flinging punches and kicks with impressive speed as she went through her forms. Trunks watched her, as she hadn't realized he was there yet. She was amazing, he mused. Pan hadn't reached Super Saiyan yet, but was stronger now than he was. She had a dedication to match Vegeta's and the spirit of Goku was fierce in her.
Pan finally noticed him and walked over. She was glistening with sweat and panting from the exertion and looked stunning. What am I thinking? She eyed him suspiciously, waiting for him to speak. Trunks realized she was probably expecting a lecture or reprimand. Am I that condescending?
"What is it?" Pan asked, since Trunks hadn't spoken. Her tone was neutral, and for some reason this stung him.
"I thought you might be here." Trunks said lamely, finding himself dumbfounded for once.
"Here I am." She said, lifting her arms as if to show off the room. Trunks couldn't figure her out. She wasn't acting mad or upset, but her indifference was unsettling.
He took a deep breath, "Pan, I'm sorry I ran out. You took me by surprise, and I was mad at myself." Trunks knew this was a pitiful apology, but couldn't find any other words.
Pan laughed, "Mad at yourself? Why? I'm the one who assaulted you." She had a mischievous look in her eyes, and Trunks saw that she wasn't sorry in the least.
"I shouldn't have kissed you." He said. Now here comes the lecture, he thought. But it had to be said, "That was wrong of me."
"Wrong, huh?" She stared at him, serious now, "Did you want to?"
Trunks knew he had indeed wanted to at the time. But if he admitted it, what would that say to her? He hesitated for a bit, but finally decided to be honest. He was always honest with her, "Yes."
She smiled then, "So what's wrong about it? I can't pretend to be a little girl around you any more, Trunks. I've learned that I have feelings for you, and I'm dealing with that. If you don't feel the same, I understand. But don't treat me like some kid who needs a lesson in morality."
Trunks was speechless. Suddenly, the fog began to clear. She did know exactly what she was doing, and it was he who was the lost one. He saw how he had been treating her, how he usually approached issues with her, and how that was distorting his reality.
This really didn't have to be such an issue. Pan wasn't guilty or hurt, and maybe he shouldn't be either. After all, there were important matters to attend to out here, and this was a dangerous mission to say the least. Maybe Pan had simply been testing the waters of her feelings for him. Indeed, she was the kind of person who always took the bull by the horns, often snapping the head clean off the poor beast.
Trunks felt like that metaphorical bull now, with his neck broken and emotions trampled. Lately, he was always a step behind Pan, trying to play catch up and hovering like a nanny waiting for some sort of breakdown that never came. He had been wrong about her, every step it seemed. And this new development was just another curve ball.
He decided then to stop playing guardian and just be her friend. He didn't think he could allow himself to become romantically involved, but he made a promise to himself to stop being such a sanctimonious stump where the issue was concerned. The weight of these past hours fell from him as the wheels turned in his head, and the relief was palpable.
"Need a training partner?" He asked.
XXX
The wind burned Videl's eyes. She had forgotten about this part of flying. She still wasn't as fast as she had once been, and nowhere near as fast as Goten, who kept pace beside her as she cruised. Everything was so beautiful up here. She wondered why she ever let this go. The hills and rivers below passed lazily by, the landscape dotted here and there with houses and cut with roads.
This was her third lesson. After Goten had given her his energy for reference, Videl caught on quickly. It was then just a matter of generating enough to support herself, and placing it below her to levitate. This was the most difficult part, but she had flown over a mile in total by the end of the second day.
Goten said now that she just need to practice being able to draw on the power effortlessly, and sustain it long enough to fly wherever she wanted.
Videl looked over at him and grinned with excitement. They had been flying now continuously for over an hour. He had been there every inch these past few days, ready with a helping hand. Twice she had lost her ki and fallen midair, but Goten caught her and eased her safely to the ground. But now she was cautiously optimistic with her grasp of the energy.
They flew a few more miles before Goten suggested a break. He led them to the top of a high rock spire that jutted out over the ocean. It was a tall, cylindrical formation of stone and Videl realized that they were probably the only human visitors that had seen the top. Birds were regular visitors however, as the cap of stone was covered with a layer of droppings.
She and Goten shared a laugh at this before he blasted away the excrement, along with a thin layer of rock.
"Are ki blasts next on my agenda?" Videl asked as she sat on the now warm stone.
"If you want." Goten said, sitting next to her, "They're not as hard as flying. You've just got to channel the energy with a destructive intention."
"Maybe not then." Videl said, "I like relating it to good feelings."
"It is nice, isn't it?" Goten asked rhetorically, leaning back on his elbows, "I forgot how it felt to learn to control it. I like watching you."
"When did you learn? When we met you already could use ki, but you were just a kid back then." Videl settled back next to him.
"Gohan taught me some. He was always studying, but he found time to teach me when he could."
Videl thought of Gohan then and sighed. It had been weeks since he was taken, and the passage of time hadn't lessened the hurt. She was beginning to wonder if she would ever see him again. Neither Piccolo nor Dende had been able to reach Goku or the Kais, so that option for finding him had soured.
And Pan was out there, somewhere. Her heart ached whenever she thought of her daughter, which was all the time. Goten must have seen her pained face, as he reached over and took her hand.
"They'll be okay. Have some faith." He said with a reassuring smile.
"In what?" Videl asked, bleakly.
"In them." He said, "Gohan is one of the strongest and smartest people around. And Pan is amazing. I swear, if anybody took after Goku's fighting spirit, it's her."
Videl smiled, "She is something."
"A lot like her mother, too." Goten said.
"In the worst ways." Videl said glumly. Pan had the same temper and attitude Videl had through her teenage years. It had cost her plenty of friends and some boyfriends, and she worried for Pan.
"In the best ways." Goten corrected her, "You're incredible, Videl. You don't have the abilities we do, but you always keep up. You're so strong. To tell you the truth, I've always envied Gohan for having you, and the partnership you two share."
Videl laughed, "Sure. Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I have a hard time believing that."
"Believe it." Goten said, "You're one hell of a person."
She smiled, "Thank you, Goten. You are too. I don't know what I'd do if it weren't for you."
"I think you're helping me more than I am you." He said, his smile gone. Videl had her doubts about that, but said nothing. She realized that Goten never talked about his relationship that had recently ended. She didn't want to pry, but was curious.
"Want to talk about it?" She asked.
He was silent for a while, but finally said, "I asked Rachel to marry me. I had it all planned out. I set up a nice dinner on a rooftop in the city, with candles and all that. When she met me at my apartment, I flew her up there and explained who I was over the meal. Then I popped the question. She seemed shocked and wanted time to think. A few days later, she told me we were through. I think she thought I was some kind of freak and it scared her."
Videl stared at him, feeling so much pity she could cry. Goten was the sweetest, most genuine person she knew. How could anyone reject him?
"That's what I mean about you." He said, looking at Videl, "You saw everything we were, stared all the craziness right in the face, and didn't run. I know you don't understand, but it's hard for people like us to be accepted by society. Most can't handle it."
Videl did understand though, to a point. She remembered how it felt to learn how powerful Gohan and his friends were. It was difficult. Then when she learned that they were aliens too...it was almost too much.
"I'm sorry, Goten." She said, squeezing his hand. She didn't know what else to say. The sun was starting to set, and they watched it in silence. It was a beautiful scene, the swollen, red orb sinking slowly into the glistening ocean. Goten wore a look of intense concentration, which was curious. He was always so easy and light; Videl wasn't sure if she'd ever seen him so focused.
"You okay?" She asked, nudging her shoulder into his.
Goten looked startled, as if he'd been woken from a nap, "Yeah, I'm fine. It's getting late though, we'd better get back." He stood and walked to the edge of the rock.
Videl wondered why she was disappointed. She'd been enjoying their scenic spot, and it seemed like Goten was really bothered by something. Had talking about Rachel upset him that badly? She stood and went to him.
"Ready?" He asked.
Videl nodded and summoned her ki. It was still tiring, but each time was a little easier. When she had it under control, she shifted it down and rose from the rock. Goten was next to her, and they slowly took off towards home.
They flew for nearly an hour, the sky growing ever darker. Videl was realizing that she was more tired than she had thought. They still had some miles to travel, but already she was starting to wobble.
"Can you make it?" Goten asked.
"I...don't know." Videl was losing it fast. Her eyes were closing against her will and she was sweating like she'd just run a marathon.
"I pushed too hard." Goten said, "I'm sorry. Come here."
The two met midair and Goten took Videl's waist and pulled her tight against him. She sighed with relief as she let go of her energy, feeling the strain melt away.
"Better?" He asked.
Videl nodded, too tired to speak. It was embarrassing, but she was quickly falling asleep. She tried to fight it, but the weariness was bone deep, and soon she succumbed.
Goten noticed that she was out and smiled. He shifted his flight position to allow her more comfort and slowed slightly so the wind wouldn't batter as bad.
He flew on, glancing now and then at Videl's sleeping face. It was beautiful he thought, peaceful now and free of the worries and stress that had been eating her lately. He figured he'd drop her off in her bed quietly, so as not to disturb her.
He sighed and grimaced then, the feeling coming back to him as he looked at her. It had been so potent on their lookout over the ocean, and he hated it. He knew she was in pain and using him as a crutch, and he didn't mind that. What bothered him were the feelings he had begun to feel around her.
Every time she hugged him or held his hand or smiled in that captivating way of hers, Goten fell a little bit harder. He kicked himself for this, for being such a creep. The poor woman was in turmoil, her husband and daughter gone, and he was stalking around like a predator sniffing a weak kill.
Of course he didn't want to be doing this. He had fought it and ignored it all he could, putting it to his own pain over Rachel – the whole 'rebound' thing. But his feelings were slowly solidifying every day he spent with Videl and learned more and more who she was inside.
He was bitterly jealous of Gohan, and this was cause for no end of guilt. He loved his brother so much and looked up to him like he was a god. But he had the perfect life: a lovely little house, a wonderful daughter, and the most special wife in the world. It wasn't the material things Goten envied, but the connection Gohan and Videl had.
He wanted Videl to look at him the way she did Gohan – like he was the only person who could complete her in every way. He knew Videl loved him, but it was the love of a friend. It was wrong of him to think, but that just wasn't enough.
But what could he do? Should he tell her all this, and break her heart further? He knew she would never return his feelings, but would feel horrible if she knew his secret. Maybe he could keep it hidden and continue to be her friend. It would be painful though, falling more and more for her and never being able to do anything about it. And what would happen when Gohan returned?
Goten believed deep in his soul that his brother would make it back, and Pan too. He knew that Videl's pain would pass and her happy family would be restored. This made him happy for her, but for him it was a double-edged sword that would pierce his heart.
Finally, he made up his mind as he drew near to her home. He touched down softly, cradling Videl like a baby. Moving silently through the house, he entered her bedroom and deposited her on the mattress. She never stirred in her deep slumber. Goten watched her for a while, wishing things could be different. He leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead, then stood.
"Goodbye, Videl." He said, then turned and left her.
XXX
Gohan ate til he hurt. The food was so much better than the gruel he was used to on this planet. He sat at the end of a long, heavily laden table, with Al-Mourd at the other end. She didn't eat, but watched him with amusement.
When he finished, servants came to take everything away. They scurried about, all cloaked in blue and white hoods, so Gohan couldn't see their faces. Al-Mourd had been silent the entire time he ate, merely watching him.
"Thank you." Gohan said, "That was delicious."
Al-Mourd smiled, "I am glad you enjoyed it."
Gohan wondered what would happen now. She had said they must talk, but insisted Gohan eat first. Now that he was finished, he wondered when the discussion would begin.
"Are you refreshed now?" She asked. It was a puzzling question, but Gohan supposed he felt better now than he had since arriving on Mourd.
"Yes ma'am." He said.
"Then come with me." Al-Mourd stood and went to a doorway in back of the room and Gohan followed. She led him through a few corridors, her lithe figure seeming to glide over the ground as she moved. Gohan felt awkward and clumsy behind her.
They came to a final room and there they stopped. The room was bare, save for a glowing ring on the floor, roughly four meters wide. Al-Mourd beckoned Gohan enter the ring. He did, and she followed. They stood for a moment, then Gohan saw the room begin to distort and fade, much as the village had when he had been transported out.
When they arrived at the new location, Gohan gasped. They stood on the edge of a floating island, hundreds of feet in the air. Below, he saw the red world sprawl on to the horizon, but there were oddly flowing gray patterns on the surface. Swirls and rings intersected and stood in a beautiful, yet confusing array. These designs went on as far as he could see.
"Come and sit with me." Al-Mourd said, breaking him from his thoughts. He turned and saw the surface of the island in the sky. It was a roughly circular shape, which reminded him of Kami's Lookout on Earth, yet this was smaller. The entirety of the top was of smoothed granite, with two benches facing one another in the center. Gohan walked to them and sat across from Al-Mourd.
"No questions for me now?" She asked, teasing Gohan.
"I have so many," He said, "I don't know where to start." Al-Mourd laughed a clear, bell-like chime.
"Then I will speak for a while. This is my tale." She sat straight and gracefully, and Gohan leaned in intently, "I was born with the beginning of the universe. The great explosion of initiation produced everything, my sisters and I included. We three are the Eldest, bound to the laws of the universe, yet a personification of them. For fourteen billion years we have existed, maintaining by our existence the fabric of all.
"This planet and I are inextricable – we are one. The forces bound to me are those of Balance and Strife, and here they dwell, in their purest essence. Linked to every galaxy in the cosmos, we are. When on Mourd, you are everywhere."
Gohan stared wide-eyed as Al-Mourd spoke. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, and didn't understand much of it. Was it possible for such a creature to exist? Yet he could not deny how the first sight of her had affected him. And that was but an 'echo' of her real form, she had said.
"I sense your confusion." Al-Mourd said, "Allow me to phrase it thus: You said earlier that I remind you of a Kai. Well in a sense, I am. If there is a hierarchy of the Kais, we are the greatest – the Prime Kais."
"We? Your two sisters?" Gohan asked, trying with all his might to absorb what was being said.
"Yes, we are Prime Kai. Thousands of names we have had across the eons, yet you may regard us this way if you like."
It did make a little more sense, Gohan thought. The Kais had always been a mystery, even though he knew them more than most. He could grasp the idea of an ultimate Kai. Suddenly, it all hit him and he was overwhelmed. He fell to his knees in front of Al-Mourd, for surely she was worth honoring this way at least.
"Rise, Gohan. Do not bow or kneel to me." Al-Mourd said with a serious voice, "I do nothing worthy of such honor, nor do my sisters. We are the universe, you see. We do not create or destroy or do works beyond our nature. In this way we are limited, despite our age and power. You mortals should honor one another for the great deeds you do, and punish justly the misdeeds. For you are above even we in your freedom. Never make the mistake of praising that which merely does what it does. Do you glorify the wind for blowing, or the water for flowing? We Prime Kai are as they are – forces of the universe."
Gohan stood awkwardly and took his seat, feeling chagrined. He understood Al-Mourd's meaning, but couldn't help feeling overwhelmed still. Her numinous nature was breathtaking. Yet there were still pieces missing. Why the arena and fighting? Why were people taken and forced to be here? And why was he here with her, when even Cael was ignorant of her true nature?
"You wonder now about Mourd, and why it is the way it is." Al-Mourd said, making Gohan wonder if she could read minds too, "Come." She stood and walked to the edge of the island, to the same place where they had arrived.
"Look down there, Gohan. Those patterns are the great walls of villages and arenas. The energy from the lives of those living and fighting down there is channeled into the heart of this world – into me. I am Balance and I am Strife. The lives of the gladiators here have become thus as well."
Gohan was aghast. She took people away to fuel herself and her world? This was slavery! How could she go on about her passive nature when she actively committed such atrocities?
"Al-Mourd," Gohan said, mustering his courage, "I don't understand. This is wrong. You abduct people and enslave them."
"You presume to challenge the nature of the universe?" She said, no anger in her voice but a genuine curiosity, "This has been the way of Mourd for billions of years, and you know better?"
"So you've been stealing people for billions of years?" Gohan asked, dismayed.
"As I said before, Mourd is connected at once to every galaxy in existence. Once per one of your 'years', a creature is taken at random from anywhere in the universe. Thus balance is maintained. You say this is wrong, but do not forget that I am as the cosmos itself. It has no morality, no sense of good or evil. It is, and that is all."
Gohan was at a loss. He couldn't believe that this cruelty was part of the natural order. If indeed someone was taken once per year from the entirety of the universe, that would make any one person's odds of being selected so astronomical as to be nearly impossible. But he still couldn't be okay with it, universal law or not. Those who were taken were still living beings, with lives and families probably.
"Was I taken at random?" He eventually asked.
"No." Al-Mourd said, "I chose you, Gohan. I scoured the stars and found the only entity with the power of a Kai within. At first I wasn't sure of what I sensed, but after watching your fighting spirit and speaking with you after, my suspicions were proved true. You are the one I need."
"For what?" He asked.
"There is a battle that must be fought." Al-Mourd said, "There is someone out there who intends to steal my power, and he must be stopped."
Gohan was confused again, "Who could steal your power? I thought you were part of the universe."
"Everything is part of the universe, Gohan. Beings have harnessed the elements since life began, generating means both of destruction and creation. I am not different from the atom that is split, or the electricity to be harnessed. No one has ever tried, as most do not know of the existence of we Prime Kais. Yet there is one who has spent his life searching for us, and has discovered a way to make my power his own."
Gohan wondered who could be strong enough to challenge a Prime Kai. He had a hard time believing too, that he was the best candidate for defending her. He wasn't even the strongest on Earth; Vegeta and his father were both superior warriors. Also, he wasn't sure why Al-Mourd couldn't just steal this guy away to her world, where he'd be powerless. It obviously didn't bother her to take anyone else.
"Why not just bring him here?" Gohan asked.
"He has found a way to block my influence. I can see him for now, but nothing else. He is working on a way to block my vision as well. Learned he is, beyond anyone I have ever seen. This is why I need you, Gohan. You are powerful, intelligent and composed. You would make the perfect champion. This battle will be more than a physical struggle, and you will have to use more than your might to win."
"Who is this person?" Gohan asked. He had fought some of the most powerful beings, but this one sounded fearsome.
"His name is King Ice. He comes from a family of warlords who have controlled galaxies for millions of years. Ice has seven galaxies under his power now, yet will not be satisfied until he takes my power."
"What can he do with your power? I thought you were a neutral force."
"I am, but he is not. If he manages to combine my ancient strength and properties with his mortal freedom and ambition, he would be unstoppable. Ice would become God, able to create and destroy at will, possessing near omnipotent power. My purview is Balance, Gohan. I cannot allow this."
"But you're also Strife, right? Wouldn't that be the result of Ice's power?" Gohan asked, feeling his mind straining.
"No. Balance begets Strife, and Strife, Balance. This is so because the universe has no ruler. If Ice becomes all-powerful, he will bend and break the cosmos to his will. Through Strife, you mortals find your Balance, but remove that indifferent freedom and all that remains is a stagnant decay under the control of another."
Gohan understood and agreed, but couldn't help thinking that Mourd was just such a place of stagnant decay as well. Sure, it wasn't the entire universe, but did Al-Mourd see the hypocrisy?
"What's the difference between being under the control of such a ruler as Ice would be, and being under your control on this planet? Both seem cruel." Gohan dared to say.
"Is it cruel when a star dies of old age and explodes, ending the lives of the billions within it's influence? But if someone detonated that star, would you then call it equal?"
"No." Gohan said, "Al-Mourd, you say you're a neutral part of the universe and have no designs on what happens, but here you are talking to me. You talk with others, you make plans. You have a will and a voice. That's different from blind nature."
"You are correct, and therein lies my power. My will and my designs exist to facilitate Balance and Strife. Where they are concerned, I do have some freedom. But beyond them, I am indeed a blind force of nature."
Gohan thought he understood, but it was still frustrating. Of course he couldn't be mad at the wind for blowing his house down, but if that wind had a will and a voice to speak it's intention to destroy, how could that not be cause for anger?
He had a thought then, that made him brighten a bit, "Al-Mourd, could you change the way this planet operates? Could you change how you get the gladiators and servants here?"
"Perhaps." She said at length, "Why do you ask?"
"Becuase I have a proposition for you." Gohan said, "It's one of Balance. I will fight to help you any way I can, if you stop taking people against their will. You have the power to communicate with anyone, so ask them first. Make sure they understand what they're getting into and give their consent. And give everyone who is already here the option to leave if they wish. Is that within your power?"
Al-Mourd was silent for a moment before she spoke, "Yes, it is within my power. I do not understand why you want this though. Is this your morality at work?"
"Yes." He said, hoping she would agree to his offer.
"It is an odd thing, but seems balanced. Very well. Help me, and I will do as you ask."