Chapter 17- An intervention

"Why don't you guys stop whispering over there and face me like a man" Nappa stood hands on hips, elated that Goku hadn't turned up after all.

Krillin scowled at him but otherwise did nothing. That didn't mean Nappa was going to give up so easily though.

"I can't believe I have to fight these cowards Vegeta, even a saiyan baby has more fight in them"

"Just finish them of quickly Nappa, but don't forget the green one needs to live"

"Oh that's it- I've had enough!" Krillin knotted his fists together before shooting forward on stubby legs, getting within seconds of Nappa's tail before a fist flew out of nowhere and sent him a starry-eyed view of the world.

Piccolo tried next, leaping into the air and clambering on him from above. Whilst he preoccupied himself with that, I skirted round, throwing out my hands as I came up behind. He threw Piccolo of just as my hands came to rest on his tail. I grasped the thick fur quickly. It was surprising warm, almost fluffy even.

As soon as his torso turned I knew something was wrong. Dread became bile in my throat as he flashed me the evilest of smiles.

He should be immobilized, the tail being their weakness.

"Lessa! Run! It doesn't work on them anymore!" Tell me something I don't know.

"Too late" Nappa informed me as his tail started to slide from my slippery grasp. And then a palm landed squarely between my eyes, knocking me straight to rocky dirt. Yellow dots danced in my view.

"Nice try, but we high-class saiyans have overcome our petty weakness" I couldn't see Vegeta, but I could imagine a smirk on those defined features of his. Even now, I would still like a piece of him.

"Well, she's out for the count, looks like the kid's next" Gohan squeaked but I didn't hear footsteps. The world was still swimming in a yellow hue. I felt the brush of energy as a huge stream of it flew past, almost burning my ears.

I closed my eyes, anticipating the worst when I heard Piccolo give a feral roar.

All of a sudden I knew what he was going to do.

If the kid wasn't going to move, then he would protect him. It was an unspoken agreement we had made many months ago.

Gohan snoozed happily by the dying fire, a leg or arm twitching every so often. As he usually did, Piccolo was watching him with a guarded expression. A charred piece of fish resting loosely in his firm hands.

"You care for that kid more than you let on" It wasn't a question. I was merely stating a fact. Piccolo knew better than to argue with my tone.

"Lessa, you have to promise me something" He made no effort to touch me, but emotionally we were closer than we had been all day.

"Depends on what it is" I was trying to make a joke out of it but I got a reproachful stare in return.

It was then I noticed his fingers were knotted around each other.

"I'm going to die soon, I can sense it" I opened my mouth but he raised his hand to stop me. "When I'm gone, I need you to promise me you'll protect Gohan..with your life. You're the only one I can trust to do this"

"Piccolo-" I shuffled closer, sharing my body heat with him; leaning my head on his shoulder as if I could give him comfort.

"You can't ask that of me. I'm not here for the long haul. I'm not even sure why I'm here in the first place" Yet I was. We both knew it was because I fancied the pants of of him.

"Lessa, I know that. But you and the kid, you mean more to me than you can imagine. You two are my only friends. I would easily give up my life for either of you, and when I'm gone, I need you to do the same for Gohan. Until the threat is gone. That's all. Then you can get back to your own life.

I need you to do this Lessa…for me" His hands came up either side of my face, tilting me so we were eye to eye. Sadness swam in those black cesspools. And it broke one of the shattered pieces of my heart inside me.

How could I refuse when it pained him so.

"Okay Piccolo. I'm only doing this for you" He nodded and leaned in tentatively, pressing those wondrously soft lips to mine. My pulse raced and my mind went giddy as we moved into a simple rhythm. I would not lose my purpose though, no matter how mind-blowing his kissing was.

He was not going to die. I would not allow it.

That promise I had made all those months ago. I had never once thought I wouldn't be able to keep it. I should have known really. Should have known it would turn out like this.

I pushed and pushed in the last few seconds, hearing the dust kick up as Piccolo's shoes tore through the dust to reach Gohan. My body refused to move, instinctively knowing Piccolo's prediction had been correct all these time.

Poison seemed to have spread through my body, dulling all my nerves to the point of un-moving. All these years, to have it show now..

A little girl was out cold on the bleak hospital bed, the yellow doctor doing his best to save her. As each instrument passed into her body, the seconds ticked away. Her death was imminent, but the instinct of all living things was ever-present. A death could not just be accepted unless you had no heart at all.

"Do something Cortex! You have to save her!" The orange furred creature seemed close to tears, wringing his hands over the girl's small body. Cortex shook his head.

"The poison has settled into her bloodstream. To remove it would kill her"

"But if we don't do something she'll die!" The other three spectators, two girls and a half human, half robot watched on, unwillingly to tell Crash that it was already over.

"Move out of the way doctor" A harsh female voice struck out from the shadows, a solitary scorpion scuttling away from whoever was inside it.

Crash's features twisted with pure hatred.

"Get that thing out of here! This is what caused this problem in the first place!"

"I know, and I will fix it" The female stepped from the darkness, revealing to all a sharp faced lean woman. She wore a torn black dress to compliment her tanned skin and red hair, but her face had too many lines to be pretty. She had the look of a miserable soul, one that had seen all the suffering of the universe and more. Her aura excluded high presence, a godly one to be in fact. She was no ordinary woman.

"My name is Serquet, goddess of the scorpions. Move aside and I will ease this child's suffering"

"Over my dead body! I won't let you kill her!"

"Who said I was going to kill her" She replied smoothly. Crash softened.

"Then what are you going to do with her" Serquet was silent for a moment, the folds of her black dress sweeping over the tiled floor as she slid over to the girl. A bony hand passed over the girl's forehead, resolve etched on the goddess's lines.

"Even I cannot remove the venom at these stage, but perhaps taking her body as host may help me to contain it..to a degree" The last part was a mere whisper. Crash looked unsure but Cortex nodded.

"Do whatever it takes, we owe her for saving Crash's life"

"You do understand there will be repercussions though don't you"

"Of course"

Should I leave her body for more than thirty minutes she will die.

Why would you give yourself up like that.

It's.. a favor for a friend of mine.

Besides, we can't have the prophecy child dying now can we?

Of course. It was obvious now. Serquet was using the poison, she was using it to control me.

'Correct, I will not have you intervening with fate. Even if you are the beloved prophecy child'

My heart burned with something other than venom. I would reply but only swear words would come and what good would that do.

And then, as if nothing had happened all went quiet. The fog cleared and I was only semi- aware as I sprang to my feet.

It was truly a horror scene. Nappa stood just meters from Vegeta, his lips sunk into a worrying 'O' Piccolo was still standing, but only just. His chest puffed in and out heavily, his face a grimace of pain. The remains of his tattered clothing were still steaming. As expected, Gohan was safe behind him, his hands shielding his face. He hadn't noticed yet, but he would.

"I did it" he mouthed- before crashing backwards on the ground. My mind was screaming no as I ran to him, every part of my body he had touched crying out in pain. Memories of everything we had done together flashed through my mind, even the bad times becoming good. I loved him like a best friend.

I couldn't accept I would lose him.

The tears streamed freely as I crouched beside him. Any other time his eyes would have been rolling upwards, or looking away. But now he watched me. Somewhere in my subconscious I heard Gohan sink down next to me; but the only thing important to me now was Piccolo.

I remembered a while ago I had wondered what it felt like to lose someone close to you. Yet now I never wanted to know. His hand shook, and slipped into mine. His strength ebbing as he squeezed.

"Don't cry Lessa..please" His eyes found Gohan beside me.

"Mr Piccolo, please don't die. I need you"

"No kid, you need your father- but I want you to know something. You and Lessa..you were the first friends I ever had. Gohan, you were like a son to me- I'm- I'm proud of you kid" Gohan sobbed openly as Piccolo neared death's door.

"How about one last kiss Lessa? For old times sake" Something of a smile appeared for just a moment. Under different circumstances I might have laughed, but instead I leaned in, gently pressing my lips to his. It tasted of sour apples, and a hint of salt as my tears slid down my face.

As I pulled away, his lips wordlessly whispered something that no one else would ever hear.

I love you.

Sitting up, there were tears in his eyes too. Without warning, the light faded into nothing and I was left with a dead body and a broken soul.

A dam broke and the gushing water filled my ears.

I was only semi-aware as red-hot pain lanced through my nerves, slashing at my heart like samurai knives. The fire roared through my body and I shut down as my hands began to tear at something.

Revenge was the word that kept tearing through my brain, and it was the only thing that kept me standing. The fire in me was taking its revenge.

At some point I stilled, my eyes re-focusing on the destruction I had left behind. A broken and lifeless Nappa littered the dirt, and although revenge had been taken the fire did not die. It wasn't enough.

My eyes scanned the people, two small people that I vaguely knew to be innocent. Something else was controlling my mind, and I seethed silently as I found Vegeta.

"Your next" My lips tumbled out.

"No Lessa, he's mine"