|Chapter Four|
Makoto slept in later than usual, feeling refreshed as she moved from her tent giving a long stretch. Her morning routine was interrupted by seeing the two sitting in camp still. Checking the sun, she could tell it was about nine in the morning; odd, since they were gone at day break. Makoto moved to cook for the two, making the usual quail eggs, warming up some left over deer meat, adding a few vegetables, potatoes, and wrapping it all into a burrito shell. The air was stale as they ate silently, Makoto looking at both curiously. Was there something the matter? Closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of the forest only to find it was silent. When had all the animals left the area? Pushing to her feet she looked around the clearing, hoping to glance something in the woods.
A shiver moved through her as danger seemed to be all around her; cursing herself, she knew she couldn't transform and investigate. Whatever was coming was powerful. Something she had never felt or probably dealt with before. Was this enemy here in order to take over Crystal Tokyo before it was built? Or where each of the senshi a target to keep it from being built? If they were after Crystal Tokyo, why was this thing in Satan City?
"Makoto." Trunks spoke her name sharply, causing her to stiffen as she gave a small nod while in a prepared stance. Goten was already on the move to the forest and then seemed to disappear from her view. "Things are going to get ugly quick, leave the area and don't look back. We will find you when it's safe."
Makoto growled as she clenched her fist tightly; she wasn't some weak woman that could be told what to do. No matter where she ran, this thing would follow her. Before she could speak, the wind picked up around them making her cover her eyes quickly before suddenly going eerily dead. Looking around and then peering into the sky, Makoto saw a being floating. His arms crossed while he wore a simple black karate suit; his green hair was pulled back into a long thick braid ending at the middle of his waist while cold bleak pale green eyes looked at them. Emotionlessly, the man floated down to the ground as Makoto stared at him curiously. Never before had she seen an enemy dressed as such or with the same strong muscular build. None of the enemies they fought against could fly and went about tactics of hurting the people in order to call the senshi out. Why was he so straight forward?
"Who are you?" demanded Trunks, sending a shiver up Makoto's spine at his cold voice. That was a very good question, and what did he want? Makoto seemed to feel familiar with the questions that would need to be answered but mainly she was starting to get angry. After finally coming to peace in Tokyo, she thought she was going to be free of this mess for a while but here came another enemy...or was it a friend? Usually, they were all foes. She watched a smirk move over the man's face that made Makoto cringe. The death stare kept Makoto in place as the two men seemed to have a silent eye battle going on.
"I am Seng, sent from Red Ribbon Army to destroy the Z Fighters," he said in an emotionless tone. Who were the Z Fighters? Makoto had never heard of them before. This wasn't the time to question her comrades as she kept the same fighting stance. Seng, as he called himself, kept his eyes on Trunks for a moment before moving it over to check Goten out, who was now perched on the top of the waterfall. Eyeing both men, he finally laid eyes on Makoto curiously and then produced a smirk in her direction. Was she going to be the first target? Now wasn't the time to worry about identity but she would try to stay untransformed as long as she could. Seng seemed to move into a fighting stance, making Trunks comply with his own.
"Before we do this, let me take her to safety; this isn't her battle," said Trunks.
"She goes there with your friend," Seng replied. Trunks turned to Makoto and held out his hand.
"Do you trust me?" he asked, watching Makoto's eyes move from Seng to him suddenly to focus on his hand. She wasn't sure if she wanted to leave him, but it looked like it wasn't even her battle. She felt conceded and horrible for thinking that maybe everything was about the senshi. She had heard of other forces that lived around the world protecting other cities from dangers. This was another one of those groups and she happened to be caught in the middle by chance. His voice softened suddenly as he touched her elbow gently, feeling the sudden electricity fuel through him. Pushing the feeling back, he swallowed hard. "Makoto, do you trust me?"
Giving a nod, Makoto felt herself suddenly swept off her feet and carried gently through the air towards the top where Goten awaited her. She could feel her flesh crawling with fear as she felt him set her down carefully. Feeling somewhat helpless, Makoto watched the lavender haired man leave her behind and watched in silence how quickly the fighting started. It was slow at first and then speed up until she could hardly see their movements except for each one pushing each other back with strong kicks into the trees or rock wall by the waterfall. Goten pushed her to climb onto his back as he floated up into the air at a safe level for Makoto while he watched his friend move diligently. Holding her breath for some odd reason, she watched as Trunks quickly bolted up into the air past them while Seng followed, holding a bright lighted power ball in his hand.
"Goten, put me down and let me find safety. You need to be ready to help Trunks; I'll just be in the way otherwise," said Makoto near his ear. Goten nodded and quickly moved into a location in the forest where Makoto jumped off his back. Pausing, Goten touched her shoulder gently before cracking a smile.
"Everything is going to be alright Makoto, we will explain everything later when this is finished," he said only for Makoto to nod. A blush moved over Goten's face suddenly as he suddenly turned and disappeared. Makoto knew this was the only thing she could do as she turned on her heel and ran in the same direction. She would hide in the area they were in, close enough to where she could see the fight. The tension was building while she thought of those two, wondering when they would come find her and how the fight was going. The sounds were echoing around her as she heard the loud explosions and yelling getting closer. Taking to hiding in the foliage, Makoto peered through the branches of trees to see the clearing just ahead. There, crater sized holes were formed as everything was destroyed. The anger was building as she tried to look around for them but was unable to see the fight. The only thing she was saw Goten waiting on top of the waterfall still looking up.
A crippling pain moved through her as Makoto felt herself crushed back first into a tree; her chest burnt as she quickly sucked in some air and fell onto her knees gasping. She hadn't been expecting to be attacked. Her shoulder shook with pain as the tears moved to her eyes wondering what happened.
"How disappointing, and here I thought you were one of the Z Fighters," said a cocky voice, sending a shiver through her. There was another enemy? Makoto jerked her head up angrily and glared at the cocky man. He looked rather fragile, smaller with a bit of a bulk to him. The only thing outstanding was his pale blue skin and white spiked hair in a bit of a fashionable sense. He was different than the other man, wearing what looked like an armor chest plate and form fitting black under suit with matching black boots resting at his knees. A growl escaped her as she pushed to her feet quickly, holding her shoulder painfully. A small computer covered one of his dark blue eyes as he analyzed her and then a smirk rippled across his face. "You have a strange aura and inner power that could come in handy; a good source for breeding a powerful saijin."
Breeding? Makoto frowned immediately as the anger moved through her; is that all these men thought of was planting their seed and breeding? She wasn't something that could be used at will.
"The idea of breeding is disgusting," said Makoto, pulling her stance up painfully as her power started to surge. Listing to the beeping of his eye computer, Makoto prepared for the worst. She had never dealt with an enemy with something like that on their mind. Was this 'saijin' some sort of race? She had never heard of it since there were different names for beings from other planets. In the moment it took her to blink, Makoto felt another surge of pain move through her back as she opened her eyes to gaze at his face so closely. His fingers squeezed her throat tightly as she was pinned against a tree. Grabbing at his wrist with her uninjured arm, Makoto tried to pry it as it squeezed almost cutting her air supply. His eyes were still surveying her every inch of her as his free hand touched her hair, making her want to scream, and then trailed to her face.
"I'll get promoted for bringing you in and maybe even get to run the test experiment," he said, licking his lips. Makoto growled as she positioned a foot in his stomach before focusing her strength into her other foot as she pushed off and kicked up. Her point of her shoe made contact with the bottom of his jaw, forcing his head up. Expecting him to let go, Makoto heard a chuckle as the man twisted his head back down, letting his neck crack. His hand went up to the corner of his mouth to touch were a small amount of blood trickled from biting his inner cheek. A hand crept up her leg, pushing hot fear through her as she wondered what was going to happen next. He wasn't even human, that normally would have knocked someone back and he was so strong. Would she be able to escape? She focused in as the hand stared to move past her knee and continue upward slowly. "Normally, I would have torn your leg off for a stunt like that but I think there are worse things I could do."
Fear streamed through her as she began to panic. Never had she felt so weak and unable to resist the urge to cry or call out for help. Closing her eyes for a moment, she remembered and felt her power start to rise. Raising her free hand, Makoto felt her fingers come in contact softly with his face and pet his cheek while she focused her inner power.
"That's more like it, my pet," purred his voice as she felt his hand loosen around her throat. Opening her eyes into a seductive look, her hand lead his face closer as she kept her lips barely out of reach in a teasing manner before moving her lips close to his ear. He could sense she was different from other mortals and decided he would ask. "What are you?"
Makoto couldn't help but grin as she pushed her lips on his cheek before hovering near his ear once more.
"My father is Zeus," she whispered, his eyes suddenly popping open as her hand pressed against his throat. "Which makes me the fucking Queen of Jupiter, scum bag!"
Electricity poured from her palm directly into his neck, suddenly blowing the man away through a line of trees at a tremendous force. The anger swirled around her as she felt the power growing with the rolling dark storm clouds looming overhead. The rain had started, making a wonderful conductor for her electrical powers. Glowing a vibrant bright green, Makoto walked powerfully through the forest into the clearing. Her deepest powers were taking over at an uncontrollable rate; was there something hidden inside that she didn't know? Closing her eyes, her body moved on command as she felt the eternal rest taking over and let whatever it was take over control of the situation.