Chapter 2
The current was pulling me roughly, to and fro. I was choking on the sweet tasting water that once satisfied all my needs; it gave me fish to eat, a place to bathe, and something to quench my thirst on one of the few hot days this planet experienced a year. I tried to grab onto something, but all I felt were slippery rocks. I gasped for air as I was suddenly pulled under. "Agh!" I cried. My foot was caught in something! I reached down and tried to untangle it. I failed. The current thrashed against me so hard that whatever was wrapped around my foot broke. I tried desperately to hold on to something. I felt my body start to fail. No! No! I can't fall asleep! No! My mind screamed at me to stay awake. I can't… "Uhh…" I mumbled as my eyes closed…
A sharp pain that ran through my body woke me up. I was in a dark place. Am I dead? Is this the Afterlife…? I heard something move not too far from where I was lying. I looked up.
A man was sitting on the floor with his head down. Is he sleeping? Is he dead? Did he bring me here? I crawled closer to him. He had some strange looking armor on. It was nothing like the loose cloth clothes the people on Zaion wore. (AN: Picture Namekian clothes.) Wait… What's that wrapped around his waist? "Ah!" I cried as realization hit me. It was a tail…
My own tail quivered under the loose gown I wore. He is cursed too? I scooted even closer to him. His tail suddenly glowed and lashed out at me. I ducked out of the way. "Good, little monkey." The man said, getting up and looking down at me. He was handsome. He was tanned and muscular. His hair stuck up at odd angles. He had a scar on his face and a red bandana wrapped around his head. I felt a blush creep up to my cheeks. My tail wriggled nervously. "Th-thank you for saving me." I stuttered. He shook his head and mumbled, "She must have perished…" He turned away from me. "Fash-. I mean, kid. Take me to get some food." "O-okay." I said. He walked over to the mouth of the cave and rose up into the air. "Well?" He called down to me. "Oh, don't tell me you can't fly?" I shook my head. He sighed and lowered himself back down. "Get on my back." He said. "W-what?" I squeaked. "Get on my back." He repeated, crouching down on one knee. I nervously wrapped my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He hovered and flew off. "Tell me where to stop." He said. I nodded.
We flew over lakes, rivers and canyons. Man, how far did I drift away from civilization? I saw the top of the historic Rewalda tower and nudged him. "Stop." He dropped down. "Why'd you make me stop, kid?" I gulped. "People on this planet don't fly. You'll draw more attention to us if you fly." He shook his head. "What planet did I land on? I wish I had died with the rest of the Saiyans…" He mumbled as he walked ahead of me. "Saiyans?" I asked. "It's nothing. They're all gone anyway…"
The villagers greeted me the way they always did; with cold stares and dirty remarks. I walked quickly. "Hurry!" I called back to him as I ran ahead. I looked back. He was glaring at everyone. His tail was wiggling, ready to strike someone. I stopped at a nearby tree and picked some fruit dangling from a low branch. "I got the food! Now hurry up, mister!" I cried, waving my hand at him, impatiently. He shook his head, spit on the ground and walked toward me. He kneeled down, let me get on his back and we flew away, to some other part of the planet.
I tossed him a fruit. "What is it?" He asked, examining the strange green fruit with purple spots. "Don't worry! The Graza fruit isn't poisonous. It's sweet." I said, biting into my own piece. He looked at me and nodded, taking a bite. "Mm. Pretty good, little monkey." I blushed. "W-why do you call me little monkey? I'm not a monkey." "You're right." He said. "You're not a monkey, yet you have a tail, just like I do…." I jumped. My tail stiffened. "H-how do you know I have a tail?" He smirked. "You can't try to hide it forever, little monkey…"