" This battle is not over yet... "
These were the words which set Sarro to wondering, had she made the wrong move in bringing this warrior to the planet? Dende had sensed a healthy amount of hatred within her for the prince; Vejiita. But she never dreamed it would be to this extent.
Sarro bit her lip and observed the sword Katera held readily between two quite able hands. The sword was kitana-fashion, and a little over half as long as Katera herself. The blade had an opaque, though crystalline look to it, like ice.
Ice...
A cold and foreboding darkness entered the realm of space from no discernable entrance: from time. It blotted out stars and seemed to take a deep, satisfied breath. Slowly it opened eyes a fathomless molten silver and looked out across the farthest reaches of space... searching... searching for something...
...searching for her.
Sarro gave a gasp and took a step back. Kuririn, Yamcha, Gohan, and Piccolo gave her a curious look.
That's it! Sarro cried internally, for a moment separating slightly
with her elder self, That's what I've felt, but never to this
magnitude before!
She drew a heavy breath and doubled over, clutching her arms about her body, I-- I don't... believe it. How could such a thing exist?! It's unnatural!
Okay, Sarro, get a hold of yourself. Now is not the time. It hasn't Found you yet.
Yamcha took a tentative step towards the strange woman whom had arrived with Gokuu, Gohan, and Piccolo and inquired, " Are you okay, miss? "
Sarro looked up and offered him a slight smile, " I'm fine, thank-you. "
" You sure? " asked Kuririn, " That was quite the panic attack. You know that guy? " He nodded towards Katera.
" Vaguely, " Sarro admitted, " We've never formally met. "
" Oh... " Kuririn looked confused, but turned back to watch nonetheless.
It was an interesting tableau, to say the least. They stood in a triangle, opposing each other with a defiancy unmatched.
Not far from the group of his friends, Son Gokuu stood in his relaxed-apparant battle stance, with his arms held at his side, and his hands in fists. He had his body faced slightly to the side, and his eyes trained directly on Katera. His unruly black hair stuck out in it's usual fashion, hardly wavering in the slight breeze, and his black eyes gave away nothing of the workings of his mind.
To his right stood Vejiita. The former Saiyajin no Oji was alternately glaring murderously at Gokuu for saving him and Katera for attacking him. Both were injustices he was not prepared to let pass. He was not in battle stance, he saw no need for it. Katera's attention had shifted, if only a little, to Gokuu. This distraction might yet work out to his favor.
Katera kept her eyes on Gokuu, on the newcomer who dared to deter her away from killing Vejiita. From the strength of the blow and his appearance she guessed that this was the famous Kakarrot. How amusing. If it truly was he whom had put Vejiita in his place, she had some gratitude for him, but not much: and it would be so much fun to test him out.
Just for the sake of it, she took a reading on him through her scouter, and found herself disappointed. Five thousand, that was it? No, then, that couldn't be Kakarrot. It was too low to be Kakarrot.
" I just want to know one thing, " Gokuu called out to her, " Why did you attack Vejiita? "
" Isn't the fact that it's Vejiita reason enough? " Katera inquired
in response.
Yamcha grinned. " I'm begining to like him. "
" Her, " Sarro corrected.
Kuririn stared, first at Sarro, then Katera, then Sarro again, " Th- That's a girl?! "
Sarro nodded.
Gohan gave them all an inquisitive look. " You couldn't tell? "
Vejiita growled indignantly. " Shut Up, Katera! You brought your exile on yourself! " He pointed at her accusingly, " Don't blame me for your own mistakes! "
" Mistakes?! " Katera shot back, all her attention once more on Vejiita,
" You exiled me for your own selfish ends, you Bastard! "
Sarro sighed. Dende, please figure this out for me soon.
Katera suddenly grinned, giving everyone observing a strange, uncomfortable feeling.
" I hate to disappoint you, but your powerlevel is woefully lower than mine, " she said to Gokuu, " That hit was lucky, you won't manage it again. But you are going to pay for getting in my way. "
Katera got up, standing firmly on the broken ground. She held the sword before her, with the blade pointing to the sky. Focusing her ki, she began to infuse the sword with her aura. The effort echoed off the Capsule Corporation building in a long yell. When she was through, the sword was pulsating with the ice blue of her aura, and she looked up at Gokuu with menacing eyes.
" Ice Blade! "
Swinging the sword downwards sent all the ki energy in an arc screaming towards Gokuu. All those observing unconsciously held their breaths.
Gokuu didn't move, or so it seemed. But the attack passed right through
him like he had no substance, and hit the building across the street.
Sarro gaped at the man whom she had sought out, while everyone else gaped at what had been a building.
What speed, to have moved aside and back without our seeing! She
took a slow breath, Perhaps I may win this afterall!
Katera couldn't hide her surprise for all she was worth.
" H-How? " she breathed, then shouted it again in enforcement, " How?! "
" I'm only going to ask you this once, " said Gokuu quietly, but firmly, " leave now, and no harm will come to you. "
Katera's expression darkened in insult.
" I don't want to fight you, " Gokuu added.
" You, " Katera forced the words through clenched teeth, " dare to order me around? You don't know anything, whoever you are! I think you should leave before any harm comes to you! "
" This is your last chance, " Gokuu stated.
Katera's hands tightened around her hilt, she started running for Gokuu and shouted, " I'll get rid of you first! "
She swung at him with her sword, and Gokuu raised his arm as a block. The blade sliced his skin, but his defense proved effective as his ki repelled her blade, and Gokuu was left only with an insignifigant scratch.
Katera considered him, " You're either an idiot or very, very good.
"
" Or both, " Sarro muttered in adendum.
" Don't underestimate Son, " Piccolo advised. Sarro looked at him, " He has the tendency to surprise people. There seems no limit to his power. " A wry grin touched the former Daimao's lips, " I should know. "
Sarro gave him her own wry grin, " I'm beginning to see that. "
" Believe me, " Yamcha said, " We've all experienced it in some way or another. "
" I'm going to expect a full history later, " Sarro said with a smile at Yamcha.
Yamcha smiled back.
Kuririn looked between the two of them and sighed. Yamcha gets all
the girls.
Katera took a step back from Gokuu and looked over at Vejiita. " So, Ojisama, has Earth life made you so soft that you need these pathetically weak humans to fight for you? "
Vejiita started in insult. " I'm still more than enough to defeat you, Katera! "
Katera relaxed completely and invited, " Then come and get me, Ojisama,
if your human keeper here will allow it. "
" She thinks Gokuu's human! " Kuririn exclaimed.
" Of course, " Piccolo explained, " He hasn't raised his power yet. She thinks hitting her though a wall is the most he can do. "
" Boy, is she in for a surprise, " Gohan proclaimed.
Vejiita had taken about enough as he could handle from Katera. Gathering his ki he fired off multiple blasts at Katera. (Never minding that Gokuu was right next to her) Katera dodged them all, racing towards Vejiita all the while, she reached him and swung her sword in a downwards arc at his head.
Vejiita flared up his ki and the blade bounced off it. Vejiita smiled at Katera's grimace and buried his fist in her gut. He followed this punch with several others, until Katera choked and splattered his cheek with her blood.
She clipped the side of his head then with her hilt and with her free hand blasted him away from her.
Before Vejiita had hit the ground she was after him, catching him with her knee in the small of his back thus flinging him high into the air. With a brilliant flare of ki she followed him upwards. Appearing above him she caught him across the face with her fist and Vejiita switched directions again.
" Stop it! " Gokuu shouted.
By then Vejiita had caught his bearings and retaliated. Just as Katera was preparing to finish him off with her sword, he lashed out. He caught her in the wrist with his heel and her sword went flying. Twisting upwards, Vejiita knocked her aside and blasted her sword away. Katera gave a gasp of pain, something Vejiita assumed was from the hit.
The sword spun in a graceful arc and came to rest in the pavement directly before Kuririn. The little warrior quivered and took a step back.
" Damn it! " Katera shouted and her ki flared in anger.
" That's really sad how dependant you've become on that weapon, " Vejiita sneered.
Roaring inarticulately, Katera attacked, kicking and punching. Vejiita attacked her mutually, and got in a few of his own blows. Neither paid attention when Gokuu again shouted for them to stop.
Finally Gokuu got so frustrated that he shot into the air, coming between Vejiita and Katera and pushing his arms outwards. The heel of his hands hit them each in the face. He then followed this up with a dual blast that sent either of the Saiyan warriors plumetting to the ground.
" What the hell are you doing? " demanded Vejiita as he picked himself off the ground. Katera was a mere second behind him in asking the same question, though she chose a different way to voice it.
Gathering her ki she flung it at Gokuu with all her might. He turned to face it, and with a yell dispersed it with only his ki.
Katera watched as he slowly descended to the ground. When his feet touched and his expression of quiet disapproval hadn't changed, Katera spoke, " It appears my original assessment was correct, " she spat blood to the side angrilly, " you Must be Kakarrot. How amusing. " She paused, but Gokuu remained silent. " I have no interest in you, " Katera stated with a wry grin, " yet. So step aside. You can't be on too good of grounds with him, no one is. Killing him is my only goal, I deserve my revenge!"
" You deserve nothing, " Vejiita countered bitterly.
" I won't let you kill Vejiita, " Gokuu enforced quietly.
" Why The Hell Not?! "
" Because, " said Gokuu, " He saved my son. He himself may not realize it, but he is a strong ally. Besides, killing is not the answer. "
" Are you some kind of idiot?! " Katera demanded. She pointed past Gokuu and spat, " I want his blood on my hands before this day is through! "
In a flash Gokuu was before her, antisipating her move before she even thought of it. His hand clamped around hers which she was pointing at Vejiita with, and Katera balked. She looked up at the taller warrior and took a moment to think.
Suddenly she smiled again. Sarro had already started to become wary of her sudden mood changes. It was something that made Katera very much like Vejiita.
Katera tilted her head back and met Gokuu's gaze.
" Alright then, " she said, her voice perfectly level, " Kakarrot. Prove to me that killing is not the answer. Because the only way you're going to keep me from killing him is to kill me yourself. "
" Kakarrot, what are you waiting for?! " called Vejiita from behind them, " She's a threat to this very planet you hold so dear. Destroy her now! "
Katera smirked, " Yes, Kakarrot, destroy me right now. You know you
want to. I can see it in your eyes. " She stood straighter and shouted,
" Come on, Super Saiyajin! I know what you are! Show me the destiny you
stole from Vejiitaojisama! Show me your power! " Gokuu's grip tightened
for a moment, then he tossed Katera back against the Capsule Corporation
building.
Just as Katera hit, Bulma exited the building and demanded, " Sonkun!
What the hell is going on out here?! " She screamed as
Katera hit the building and raced over to where the other four were
still observing.
" Hey, Bulma, what took you so long? " Kuririn asked serenely.
" I- I was working in the lab and couldn't leave until now. " She gave a sudden gasp as she took in the damage. " Do You Guys Have Any Idea What It's Going To Cost To Fix All This?! "
" A lot? " theorized Gohan.
Bulma chose him for her next victem. " Yes, A Lot! " she shouted in his face. " Try close to a million zenii! Ooh! I can't believe this, couldn't those stupid Saiyajin have chosen someplace else for their battleground?! "
" I don't think they really had a choice, " Kuririn stated.
It was then that Bulma noticed the fact that there was a third party.
" Hey, " she asked, pointing as a seething Katera pushed her way back to her feet, " Who's that fighting Sonkun and Vejiita? "
" Her name is Katera, " Sarro answered. " She hates Vejiita for some reason that I have yet to figure out. Although I'm beginning to wonder if bringing her here was a mistake. "
" Oh, " Bulma considered the other woman for a moment, " So who're you? "
Sarro sighed inwardly, This is getting tedious.
Vejiita suddenly ran forward, stepping to in front of Gokuu and sent a multiple ki blast attack at Katera. Nearly every one hit home, and Katera was driven further back into the wall.
" Vejiita! " Gokuu reprimanded.
Vejiita paid him no heed and placed his hand, palm out towards Katera. " Ano ne, Katera, Big Bang Attack! "
[Ano ne => Well then]
Half the Capsule Corporation building went up in smoke, presumably taking Katera with it. Bulma gave a moan of defeat.
Vejiita smiled satisfactorily at his apparant victory and slid his gaze back towards Gokuu. " You see, Kakarrot. That's how you effectively handle nuisances like that. "
" Vejiita, I don't approve, " Gokuu said with a small measure of anger. " Besides, she's not dead. You've only succeeded in making her angrier. "
" Nani?! " Vejiita whirled around and faced the clearing smoke.
[Nani => What]
Katera emerged from the smoke in a blur, flying over Gokuu and Vejiita's
heads, going straight for the group watching, and the
weapon still imbedded in the ground.
Moving instantaniously, Gokuu appeared between Katera and the sword, and caught her by the throat. Katera jerked to a stop, her feet hanging above the ground.
" I know what you were trying to do, " Gokuu said quietly while Katera struggled within his grip, " You were trying to goad me, to make me angry enough to fight back with all my power. "
Faintly Katera whispered, " How very perceptive. "
" You want me to kill you. " Gokuu continued.
Katera smirked. " Right again. "
Sarro blinked. She hadn't guessed that. She'd been at a complete loss
for Katera's motives. How had he figured it out? He was a moron... wasn't
he? If nothing else, this Son Gokuu was confusing.
" Why? " Gokuu inquired.
Katera struggled for a breath. " You, " her voice was growing fainter, and Kuririn and Yamcha were forced to strain to hear. " You have already stolen his destiny from him. If I can't kill him, then he can't kill me. Having you take away his duty as well, Kakarrot; my revenge will become sweeter in the afterlife. "
Gokuu dropped Katera. She hit the ground hard and gasped for breath. Once she had reclaimed her breath she looked up at the other Saiyan warrior and furrowed her brow.
" What are you waiting for? Finish me off, you've won, Kakarrot! I can't compare with a Super Saiyajin! " She leered antagonizingly.
" Go, " stated Gokuu simply.
" What?! " Katera and Vejiita demanded.
" Go, " Gokuu repeated. " Go away. There will be no killing today. "
Katera scowled and got to her feet. Storming past Gokuu, she grabbed her sword and yanked it from the ground. Looking back over her shoulder she stated, " This is not over yet, Kakarrot. I will have my revenge one way or another; and the only way to keep me from killing Vejiitaojisama is to kill me first. "
With a flare of ki energy, Katera took off across the Earth, leaving her threat to hang in the air.
Vejiita took a step forward, his fists clenched and his face clouded
in fury. " What are you waiting for, Kakarrot?! You didn't really mean
that, did you?! " Gokuu's silence was answer enough. Vejiita glared at
the other Saiyajin. " I don't believe this! "
¤¤
[I just have one question, what's the damage to Capsule Corporation going to cost Bulma? Katera's threat has been diverted for now, but things aren't over yet. Far from it, in fact. But there does seem to be a legacy that seems to follow the race no matter what. Katera is no exception as we'll discover next in Chapter Five; The Enemy of My Enemy... Katera's Past Catches Up]
[Written by Inseiko, 1999]
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