CHAPTER#5 "THE GIFT OF THE GODDESS" Being a couple with Gohan was the best thing in the world. They had a lot of fun together, he was so smart, sweet and adorably cute! Her training seemed to be in a standstill though. She wasn't improving a bit. Bethen didn't understand why, and to be quite honest, she preferred being with Gohan than to be fighting. She should be training harder! But I can't say that I don't like seeing them together. That girl has become like a daughter to me! Chichi thought as she saw them in the couch together. Bethen was resting her head in the hollow of his neck, his arm around her. Both looked so comfortable and smug. Trunks and Goten were with them sitting on the floor eating pizza. They were watching cartoons. "Gohan it's already 8:00pm. take Bethen home. I bet her parents like to spend time with her as much as you do!" she told them. Gohan moaned and looked at Bethen pleadingly as she got up. He wanted her to stay. Every day parting for the night was harder. "Do you really have to go?" he asked her holding her arm. "Love you know I don't wanna, but I have to. Besides we'll see each other tomorrow morning." Bethen said pulling his hand to make him stand up. "Come on. take me home Gohan-chan. Please!" "Come on Gohan take the girl home. Goten, Trunks, in another hour you'll go to bed. No excuses this time." Chichi said to the boys who looked up and smiled. "Another hour?" Trunks asked and smiled to Goten, "That's all we need!" ""Sugoi! Thanks mom." Goten cried happily, "Are you leaving already Bethen? I thought we were all gonna play the `playstation'. Gohan got `DragonQuest'" "I'll come by tomorrow afternoon Goten! Then I'll challenge you into the greatest match ever! Is that good?" Bethen asked the little boy. "O.K, but you'll come right?" "Of course she'll come, she is your brother's girlfriend!" Trunks answered Goten. ""She'll come, right Sweet?" Gohan asked her squeezing her hand. "Right! But now let's get moving. Bye Chichi, see you boys! I'll come by tomorrow!" she waved goodbye as Gohan led her through the door. He took her home and walked her to the door. They kissed goodnight, and Bethen wished to tell him the truth. But she couldn't, not yet! "See you tomorrow Bethen" he whispered as the kiss broke. "I love you" she answered, not letting him go. "I love you too, you know that!" he said as her hands freed his back. "And next week, I'll have a surprise for our anniversary Sweet!" "Really? Baby you're wonderful." Bethen smiled and blew him a kiss as he walked towards his car. He waited until she went inside and her bedroom light came on. I never knew love could feel so...magical, so meant to be! He thought with a goofy smile upon his face and drove away. I want to tell you Gohan! I want to let you know everything. Gosh! Why do I fell this so strong for You? How is it possible for me to feel this love for you now? she wondered and changing into her nightgown she went to bed. Later that night.... It was a dream, But Bethen did not know that. It's often that way with dreams. Her real parents again. Lately the nightmares had become too bad. She never talked about them to anyone, except Chichi, but she never told her everything. She was running from Freeza's soldiers. They called for her to stop, to give up, to surrender. But she kept running, past her parent's death, past a war bloody field where blue people lay dead, with their green hair stained with blood. The scene shifted, it was earth after a great battle, many people dead, total chaos and destruction. The image shifted again, and she stopped and turned around, she seemed to be in a dark pit, her nightgown was torn and the hem was dirty. "Where am I!!" she cried. No answer. The room began to glow and a figure stepped out of the darkness. It was a girl, not older than her, with gold spiky hair, cold murderous blue eyes, blue bodysuit. Around the waist was a tail. Bethen tried to run, but there was no way out. They began fighting, the golden saiyan smiling her evil grin at her all the time. Finally, she grasped her by the neck and held Bethen high above the ground. She felt herself grow weak everything else faded. Only the saiyan remained in focus, her blue eyes glowing, cold and cruel. "You evil monster! Let go of me!" Bethen cried trying to break free. "I am not evil," the saiyan answered tightening her grip, "I just enjoy my duty." "Is killing me part of your duty" "Defeating the weak is my duty. You are weak." "Just because you are stronger doesn't give you the right to do this!" "Do you wish to be me Bethen?" she asked, "Certainly you don't want to die. You want to live and be stronger. I understand that. It's what makes us so alike." "We are nothing alike!" Bethen said fiercely. Yet the saiyan had an exact resemblance to her, even her voice sounded like hers. "You don't have to die..." the saiyan said, her eyes softening a bit, "You have found me. Now we become one." With one swift blow from her hand, the saiyan penetrated Bethen's heart. She turned to light energy and entered her body as the blood flowed from the wound. "NO!!! Don't touch me!!" Bethen screamed taking her hands to her chest as she fell down. Suddenly she felt someone holding her safe and warm. The face of a green haired girl with elfish ears came into her view. Her own blue eyes full of anguish and concern. "Please! don't give up now. You have to follow your destiny." the girl pleaded her, "After you there's no one else Benten! Please help me!" It all got black. Bethen felt nothing. Except the fear. The saiyan had killed her, she was dead. "No! Don't touch me!" Bethen screamed still caught in the web of her nightmare she sat up clutching at the nightgown where her chest was. She was alone. No golden saiyan. No sad green haired girl. Her nightgown was drenched in sweat and her heart was pounding. What did it all meant? Who was Benten? She went to the mirror and stared at her reflection. She was so confused and afraid. All the objects in the room began to float and flying around her, some of then smashing themselves against the walls. "WHO AM I!!?" she screamed, a golden aura enveloped her, flared out and exploded. The door was pushed away from its hinges and was thrown across the hall by the impact. The window broke into a million pieces. "Is who I am? Am I Benten?" she asked the gold haired girl with blazing blue eyes in the mirror before it shattered. "Bethen!!" her mom exclaimed and gasped horrified, "What's going on here? what happened to you?!!" they all stood there. Looking at her the same way she had viewed the saiyan in her dream, With fear. "Mom...? I-"she didn't finish the sentence. The room spun and became dark, her knees gave under her weight..... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART 2 CHAPTER#5 "THE GIFT OF THE GODDESS" (I CAN fINALLY MEET YOU!!) Next thing she knew she was in Annette's room, there were voices. Annette leaned closer and touched her forehead clearing her curls from her face. "The doctor said you were all right. Will you tell us what happened?" David asked trying unsuccessfully to hide the irritation and worry in his voice. "Dear we worry about you. Please let us know what's happening to you." her mom asked her sitting at the edge of the bed. "I don't know" Bethen lied, "But it won't happen again." "Bethen...You looked different, you were blonde, and it was frightening" Annette admitted. "Don't worry. I don't wanna talk about t it. But it won't happen again." she reassured them, "Where did these come from?" she asked looking at the white bandages on her right arm. "The mirror broke." her mom said quietly. "Gomenasai, guess I thrashed d my room. I didn't meant to." "Damn it! Bethen this has gone too far!! Your training with that sensei will stop. Look what it's done to you!!" her father said, he looked mad and confused. "O-tousan!! You can't do this to me!!" "Don't argue with me young lady. My decision is final. You won't see that sensei again. And now explain to us what happened in that room." he asked firmly. "I don't wanna talk about. I won't tell you anything. You won't understand." Bethen said softly and looked away. "Fine have it your way." he said, then added, "But tomorrow morning you are giving us an explanation weather you want to talk about it or not." her father said and marched out of the room. Annette and her mom looked helpless at David, then back at Bethen. "I'm sorry dear. But it's for the best. Rest now, you have a long day ahead of you. Goodnight." her mom said and kissed her forehead. "I'll sleep in the guest room. You can have my room for tonight, but I want it back in one piece you hear me godzila?" Annette asked her. "Don't worry, I won't destroy your room tonight." They smiled at each other and Annette left leaving Bethen to her thoughts. She had reached the Super saiyan level. She wanted more power than that. Besides, she was sure she wasn't able to control it, to turn SS at will. Bethen got out of bed and went back to her room. Debris were everywhere. She kneeled and got a box from under the broken bed. She slipped on the blue bodysuit Chichi had given her once. Bethen felt somewhat different. She had a new knowledge of some sort. Ah! Yes she could fly, and the realization brought a mysterious smile to her face. A nice midnight flight would do her tons of good. Maybe a visit to one of my own? I can finally meet you! she mused and flew out the broken window into the night. Bethen arrived at the saiyan's house and perched herself on the balcony's railing. She had heard so much about him. Of his strength. She wanted to see him, to talk to him. A fight would be so nice! **** He was abruptly awaken when he felt the ki so close. It had only flared out for a couple of seconds before it vanished. But it was there, he could sense it. He got up carefully as to not awaken the woman sleeping beside him. It wasn't that the ki was too powerful, but there was something too familiar in it to dismiss it. He went to the balcony and halted on the doorway. Sitting on the railing of the balcony, was a woman. She sat turned away from him, her red-coppery hair fell down the back of her blue bodysuit. But what made him gasp and step back was a tail. A saiyan tail. She turned slowly towards him. Her eyes met his. She was a beautiful thing. For a long time she stared at him. Then she smiled. Whoever she was, saiyan or fake he didn't like to be awakened at this time of the night by a stranger. In a second he was out of his room and across the balcony, a few yards away from her. "Vegeta..."she finally said. "Who are you? Is this some kind of stupid joke?" he growled. "No joke. Only me." "What are you? Who are you? What do you want?" She hesitated, "Call me Benten. I want a fight with you" she said, her gaze even and sure. He looked at her as with his head cocked to one side, trying to decide if she was to be taken seriously. She waited for some kind of mad explosion from him, but instead she got a very calm, sneering look. "You heard me. I'm here to challenge you ."she tried again. He gave a mocking laugh, his arms crossed against his chest. This was one stupid girl. Challenge him? The prince of Saiyans? "I really shouldn't lower myself to fight with one such as yourself. But if you want to get yourself killed, believe me I won't be the one to stop you." he said with a smirk on his face he motioned for her to follow. "I can always use a punching bag." Bethen followed him down the balcony out into the gravity chamber. Vegeta turned to her before he closed the door. "You'd better run now before I change my mind and kill you on the spot. There isn't gonna be a second chance." he said, his look a dare, a command. "No." her voice barely above whisper. "No, I won't run." her voice stronger now, more assured. "Your insolence is quite annoying. But I guess I should give you some credit for your bravery. Not every fool jumps to it's death." She didn't dare move a muscle. She was afraid, but at the same time there was an excitement in her blood.The girl was a saiyan, that bothered him, but not enough not to teach her a little lesson. "I'm ready." she said holding her head high. "I've waited a long time for this Vegeta. It is a great honor to fight with you." "I know. Enough chat, let's get this over with." He wasn't quite convinced she was a saiyan yet, but she had a tail. She couldn't be human. What was this girl? He smirked and the two of them elevated themselves and began fighting. Being the kind of guy he is, Vegeta wasn't going easy on her. He attacked her powerfully enough to hurt her without killing her. He mocked her every time she missed a hit, and whenever she happened to land one, he retorted it with more strength. At last she gathered enough energy and blasted him down before he could react. "Still laughing Vegeta?" she asked. Damned little minx! How did she move so fast!! That was a stupid careless mistake. thought cursing her. He got up and smiled. He turned to her and delivered a combo of hits on her lightning fast. As she went crashing to the floor he sent a successions of fire blasts at her. That ought to show that kid not to mess with the big guys!, he thought. The smoked cleared out and she was barely beginning to get up. He came down and gazed down et her, his eyes mocking her to try again. Bethen backed a few steps away, she wiped the blood trickling from her lip with the back of her hand ignoring the pain. He was looking now at her with rather worried expression. "Forget it kid. You're not bad for a human child trying to pass for a saiyan. But face it kid, no one can defeat the prince of Saiyans. Go home, before I decide to kill you." She glared at him outraged that he was taking her for a human. "I am a saiyan, not a human Vegeta. I think my tail is quite a dead give away as to what I am." she told him sharply. Why couldn't he believe her? Bethen was trying so hard to stay afoot. Never in her life had she imagined that there could be someone with this kind of strength. A little voice inside of her told her that this wasn't even the beginning of what he was able to do. "It's got to be a fake. Kakarot and I are the only Saiyans, and if you include the half-breeds there are five of us." he told her . I am with you Benten. Show him the golden power, only then will he believe! a voice said in her head. "Let's see if this makes you change your mind!" she closed her eyes and raised her hands. Summoning all her strength she let out a scream. A red flame enveloped her turning gold her hair and blue her eyes. The ocean goddess turned her Super saiyan in front of Vegeta. He stared at Bethen in disbelief, How could it be? How many saiyans could there be out there without him knowing? "How is this possible? How come you're alive?" he asked incredulously. "I don't understand any of this! You really are a saiyan!! How?" he asked shaking her by the shoulders. Bethen's energy gave up and she turned back to normal. She winced from the pressure of his hands. He was so powerful. She never, for one moment doubted of his ability to hurt if such was his intention. "Let go!! You're hurting me!" "If you don't explain yourself in this minute, then you'll find out how bad I can really hurt you" he told her fiercely. He was behaving very different from what she had imagined him to be. In her dreams he had always welcome her into his life like another saiyan. Her eyes clouded and before she had time to stop them, hot tears rolled from her thick lashes. She felt so ashamed! Never in her life had she cried in front of a stranger. She never cried at all. She hated him for doing this to her. Vegeta couldn't stand to see a female cry. Saiyan or human. "Stop that!" he ordered her. "I'd better leave." she said disengaging from his arms. "I shouldn't have come here." she told him and headed to the door. Vegeta caught her arm in three strides. "Please Vegeta-san" she pleaded, "Let me go. Forget that I came here. I acted like such a baby. This wasn't the way I wanted to meet you." "Why did you come here in the first place? Who are you?" "I told you. My name is Benten, I was found in Mars by my adopted father. Until I was 5, I ignored who I was. I found out when you came to Earth 12 years ago. I saw you and another warrior with tails very much like my own and I-" "You assumed you were also a saiyan." he finished for her. Bethen nodded, moving her hair out of her eyes . "What exactly did you want from me?" he asked her. "I...I want to be a part of your world. You and the other saiyans are the closest I will ever get to know what is like to belong to something. I want you to teach me all there is to know about being a saiyan warrior. A saiyan my real parents would've been proud of." she told him hoping for him to accept her. "To do what? Help this loser world? Stop trying to be something you're not. Go away, I don't know why I stopped you in the first place." he said coldly. "How can you say that? I'm likely to be the only female saiyan in the whole universe! You should care even just a little!" she said, her saiyan temper flaring out, "I don't know why I even bothered to come here first. Forget it. I rest my case. It is true, you only care about yourself. I'm leaving, I should've gone to Gokou's first and told Gohan the whole truth. As a matter of fact that's where I'll go. I bet he'll be glad to make me his student!" She said indenated by his reaction. As she walked to the door, Vegeta thought about her words. True enough he didn't care for the saiyan's life. Yet the last thing he needed was another saiyan corrupted with the earth's weakness and Kakarot's stupid ideas of good. He considered killing her for an instant, thought better of it and decided against it. She might be of some use in the future, after all, she did manage to hit the super saiyan level. And that's a miracle in a female. he thought, She has the potential of becoming a formidable warrior. Useful if she is on my side. And if she is so eager to be a warrior that would've been admired back in the homeplanet, then a space trip is a must! It will put lightyears of distance between her and Kakarot's goody-goody ideals! "Never mind what I said before. don't go. I will take you as an student. I am glad to know there is one more saiyan alive." he lied. "Nani? Honto!?" surprised she asked running to him. "Will you really teach me? Wow! This is amazing! When do we start?" "If you really want to be as saiyan that would've been praised back in the home planet, then you must keep away from the others. As a saiyan you owe me loyalty. Therefore you should mind carefully the orders I give you." he told her forcing a smile to his lips. "Keep away from the others? Why?" asked him puzzled. The advice came a little too late dear Prince! "They have become emotional, giving way to weakness. I tolerate no weaklings under my authority." "O.K, I'll listen to you." she said thinking sadly about Gohan. "When are we starting?" "You have a week to get your stuff together. I'll have as spacepod ready for you to begin your real training somewhere else. Judging by your power level, you don't know how to control the Super Saiyan form." Bethen paled and backed a few steps away. Did he just said what I think he did? Spacepod? Elsewhere? Oh my god!! "What did you mean by that? a spacepod? What for? Do you mean elsewhere as in space elsewhere? You're joking right?" she asked not sure if she wanted to hear his answer. "As a saiyan you need to be away from all the distractions on Earth. You need to train under different gravitational pulls. Fight different forms of life. Whoever your sensei was, he did a good job in human standards, but for a Saiyan, you are too weak. You have a great potential Benten. Don't waste it away on this planet." "What will I tell my parents? And my school work? My last year is about to begin! How can I just leave!? I have a life you know! A sweet boyfriend, who I love to death. How am I supposed to leave all this?" she showered him with questions. "A saiyan doesn't need all those distractions. Besides, they are not your real parents." "But...they'll still be worried" she said in a little girl's voice lowering her head until her eyes were covered with her bangs. "How will I say good bye to Gohan?" she whispered. So the lost saiyan is going out with Kakarot's son? Just his luck! "Does he know you're a saiyan?" "No..." "Good. Now ask yourself this: Do I want to be bale to control the golden power and even achieve greater power levels? Or do I want to stay on earth and live as a pathetic human being with no power whatsoever? It's your call Benten, it's in your blood. You can't deny the hunger for power. You chose if you stay or you leave." "I need...time...to decide." "You have a week. Call me when you are ready. If you don't call within a week, then forget about me teaching you anything. Now leave, it's close to daybreak." he said writing down the chamber's private number and handing it to her. "I want to be strong. I know that fighting is my calling. But you must understand what love can do to your resolutions can't you? I love Gohan." "If you decide to obey me, you'll have to make that boy swear secrecy about your existence. Understood?" "Hai" she nodded. Bethen looked indecisively worried, if she never called, it wouldn't surprise him at all. With one last look at him she flew out the gravity chamber into the now clearing dawn light. He headed back into the house thinking about the night's incident. No one would know about the saiyan child. It would be better that way. He wondered how could her parents live long enough to create her. It didn't matter now. He slipped into bed and laid an arm over his wife. "At least one saiyan will be spared from this human love foolishness." he muttered and drifted of to sleep. Bethen arrived at Lisa's house and stayed there for the week. She had needed to think. Her new found power had given her too many new choices. But is this the right one? she pondered as Lisa drove her to the Son's house. Is it? What exactly is her choice? Will she leave? If she does, what about her love for Gohan? her life? And if she doesn't, how will she ever fulfill the goddesses' prophesies? All this and more on the next chapter!!!