How could she have been so foolish?! Chasing that woman halfway across the galaxy had ruined her judgement. She'd gone into it too fast, not paying attention to her battleground.
The first chance she'd had at Vejiita in who knew how many years and she'd blown it. Disappointment and self-loathing filled her being and she rested her forehead on the ground.
So stupid. She had been so stupid.
Letting her body relax, Katera laid down on the wet grass and fell into an exausted sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
" Are you crazy?! " Vejiita shouted. Gokuu blinked at him cluelessly. " It's only a matter of time before she comes after me again! We should kill her now before that happens. You don't know what your dealing with, Kakarrot! "
" Maybe you should tell us, Vejiita, " Sarro intervened.
Vejiita stared blankly at her for a second. " Who the hell are you? "
Sarro gave a smattering of weak laughter. " That's not important right now. What's important is making sure she doesn't come after you again. "
" Which is why we should kill her now! " Vejiita stubbornly enforced.
" What does she have against you? " Sarro shouted back at him.
Vejiita glared sullenly. " I exiled her from Vejiitasei. "
" Why? " Gohan asked.
" Insubordination, " came the answer.
Sarro turned dubious. " That's it? " Doesn't take much to set these guys off, does it?
" Among other things, " Vejiita added, then would say nothing more.
Sarro sighed. " Whatever. I'm sure we'll all know eventually. "
" Now it's time for some answers from you, " Piccolo said, crossing his arms and regarding Sarro with a dark look.
Sarro met his gaze and unconsciously faltered. Definately not Dende.
" To be perfectly honest, " she stated, finding herself about to tell a half truth, " I came to this planet for asylum. Being the supposed last of the Saiyajin does present quite a few problems, especially since I refuse to fight. "
Vejiita's expression betrayed his surprised disapproval.
" I have retired, due to reasons I chose not to delve into. I'd heard of Son Gokuu from a colony of Namekuseijin, and when Katera tried luring me into a fight, I came here for help. "
Really, the only thing she'd lied about was Katera.
" Oh, " said Kuririn after a pause.
" Well we'll take it from here, now leave, " Vejiita snapped.
Sarro's expression darkened.
" Vejiita! " Bulma cried in outrage. " Honestly! Sarro, if you need a place to stay, Capsule Corporation is ready to help you adjust to life on Earth. " She shot a pointedly dirty look at Vejiita, " We're already trying to help Someone here. "
Sarro gave a faint grin. " That would be most appreciated, " she looked around them, " and I apologize for the damage. "
" Don't worry about it, " Bulma said breezily, she put her arm around
Sarro's shoulders and led her towards the building, " I may have over-
reacted a bit. Being friends with Sonkun means I've seen a lot of damage
to my property. Come on, I'll show you around, and find you a place to
stay for as long as you like. "
As it turned out, Sarro had not been quite comfortable with staying at Capsule Corporation. Within a matter of weeks she had gone out and found herself a pleasant enough job, and bought herself a little place not far from Capsule Corporation.
She'd become good friends with Bulma, and was quite up to date on the gossip around the town as a result. Often she went over to visit and have tea with Bulma and her mother, and more frequently was called over whenever Vejiita's training had gone past his limits. It seemed the man had been born not knowing when to quit.
Through the duration of her stay on Earth thus far, Sarro had also been gaining brief history lessons from Dende about what was to come. She had made a resolve to exist on the planet with as little intrusion into their lives and destinies as possible. Sarro was a firm believer in fate, despite the fact that she was a time traveller. It bothered her, how little time she had until Mirai Trunks arrived to tell them about the androids.
Every once in awhile she could sense the Dark Power seeking... but it had diverted attention from her. It seemed almost to be searching for something else. Perhaps it was exploring this past... but...
Sarro tried not to worry about it. The time would come when it would come. For now she enjoyed the peace of living on a planet without having to avoid fighting half the time.
Sarro sat with a book in the seat by a bay window in her house, overlooking her serene backyard. She'd never had a backyard before. It was nice.
A knock sounded at her door. Sarro looked up from her book, and uncurled her legs from underneath her. Her tail twitching with curiousity beneath her skirt she approached the door and drew it open.
" Hey, " Yamcha greeted her with a smile. There was a blue and gray cat perched on his shoulder with a huge grin plastered on it's face.
" Hello, " Sarro searched for a name, " Yamcha? "
" Yeah, " he stuck out his hand, " I'm Yamcha. You were Sarro right? We didn't really get a chance to talk much. "
" No, " Sarro said, finding his smile contageous, [How in blazes is that spelt?] " we didn't. "
" So, I, uh, " Yamcha fidgeted a bit, " I was wondering if you'd, you know, like to go for lunch or something and we could get better acquainted. " He looked at her uncertainly as she considered.
It didn't take her long to decide, " I think I'd like that very much, Yamcha. "
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Katera's eyes opened with a start, her lips parting as she drew a sharp breath and lay in the grass for a moment recovering from the dream, nightmare, that had driven her from slumber.
Cursing internally at her weakness over the nightmare, Katera got to her feet and replaced her sheathed sword where it belonged: at her hip. Finding she was hungry, she crossed the clearing to one of the many fruit trees and leaped into it's branches.
Curling up with her back against the trunks, Katera snatched one of the firm red skinned fruit and bit into it's juicy white flesh. She devoured the fruit within seconds and reached for another.
The third she contemplated for a moment, cursing this planet and all it's inhabitants, fruit included. There was nothing worth hunting in this whole sector of forest she'd claimed for her own. She blamed it on her 'keepers.' When it wasn't Kakarrot's pet Namekuseijin, it was some triclops and his doll faced kid. All three of them had a powerlevel laughably lower than hers, but attacking and killing them would only make Kakarrot mad.
If she was going to make the Super Saiyajin mad, it would be over something more worthwhile.
Katera clenched her teeth in frustration and tightened her grip on the
fruit. It exploded under the stress, splattering her with it's
remains. Some bit of pulp from the fruit hit her cheek, and Katera
regarded it coldly, as if it were the cause of her problems.
Well, she considered as she licked it off her face, eventually all those who opposed her on this planet would look like that.
Katera's smile of future triumph dropped when her scouter suddenly blipped and fed her readings. Her hand dropped before it reached the fourth apple and she put her full attention on the readings.
They were not on this planet, they were off, but approaching. She'd set the scope for as wide as it would go. There were a number of low ones, some higher ones. One extremely high one, and one between the extremely high and high ones. One that struck her as awfully familiar.
" Aw, Dammit! " Katera exclaimed and shot out of the tree with a bursting of ki energy that sheared branches off the tree's trunk. As she travelled upwards, Katera altered her ki aura subtly to allow for off-planet travel and glared as she shot through the clouds.
How dare he! How dare he follow her this far!
Suddenly her scouter informed her of someone approaching and she paused to take a look.
Just in time for Piccolo's foot to meet her square in the face. Katera
went plumetting back down towards the Earth. She caught
herself just above the clouds and glared murderously up at Piccolo.
" Where were you going? " asked Tenshinhan.
Katera turned to face him, but said nothing.
Piccolo descended down to their level, his arms crossed before him, and a disdainful sneer on his face. " Probably figured the best way to destroy Vejiita was to just blow up the whole planet, is that it? "
" I was not, " Katera declared. " You have no idea what you're dealing with. I could destroy you all in an instant, I suggest you leave me be. "
" Destroy us, and Gokuu'll be very angry, " Chaou-zu pointed out. Katera turned her glare on him. " Which is exactly why I wouldn't waste energy on destroying the planet. "
" Then where were you going? " Tenshinhan repeated.
" None of your damn business! " Katera snapped.
Piccolo looked up, then back down at Katera and stated, " The better question, Tenshinhan, I believe is, what's coming? "
" So, " Katera sneered, " the Namekuseijin bastard Can think for himself. Don't worry, " she crouched, ready to take off, " I can handle it. " She started upwards again.
Piccolo nodded at Tenshinhan, who then moved to above Katera and placed his hands, fingers splayed, on each side of his head. Closing his eyes tight he commanded, " Taiyo ken! "
Katera skid to a stop mid-air as the bright flash of light assaulted her eyes. She brought her arm up to sheild her face, but it was too late, and she was blinded.
" Augh, Damn You! " she hollered.
Piccolo was above her in an instant. With his eyes closed and acting on ki sensations alone, he brought a double fist down on Katera's head, knocking her back down to Earth... literally.
Katera hit the ground face first and moaned. She then jumped back to her feet as something small clamped onto her back. Still blinded, her only clue as to what it could have been was a high pitched giggling in her ear.
" Why you-- " she growled and reached ineffectively for Chaou-zu. The little doll-faced warrior ceased giggling abruptly and attacked with a ki maneuver that set every nerve to fire within Katera's body. She screamed, her back arching, and dropped to her knees.
By the time it all ended, her vision was back, though blurry. She brought her head up weakly and found she had not even the strength left to glare at Piccolo and Tenshinhan. Chaou-zu was still attached to her back, so Katera decided it was time to tread very lightly.
" You will come with us to see Gokuu, " Tenshinhan said simply.
Piccolo hit home with a satisfied grin, " then we'll see just how well you can 'handle' things. "
Then Katera found the energy to glare, but not to resist.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Though the telephone in Sarro's home was ringing, there was no one there
to answer it.
Sarro sat in an outdoor cafe laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. She was finding Yamcha to be very pleasant company indeed. Yamcha seemed imcredibly pleased with the fact that he'd succeeding in making Sarro laugh.
Reaching over, Sarro patted him on the hand before picking up her drink for a sip. " That's very funny, Yamcha. " She took another sip and calmed herself. " But, " she said, " I'm afraid I would like to take you up on our previous agreement. "
Yamcha looked confused. " Nani? "
Sarro smiled serenely. " A history lesson. I'm very curious, especially about that comment you made about enemies never staying that way for Gokuu, or something like that. " She shrugged and set down her glass, " At least that's what I gathered from it. "
Yamcha stared at her a moment. " You're a very strange girl, you know that? "
" What makes you say that? " Sarro inquired, " This is only the second time we've met. "
" I know, but... you change. Sometimes you're young, and fun, then in a split second you age, like, a hundred years and get very serious. " Yamcha paused hesitantly.
" No, it's alright, " Sarro took another drink to allow her time to think. " I am a girl of many mysteries, Yamcha. "
" Ah, " Yamcha leaned forward, " I just might have to try working some of those mysteries out, Sarro. "
" All in due time, dear, " Sarro responded, sitting back, " Now. About your past with Son Gokuu...? "
---------------------------------------------------------------------
" I can handle it, " Katera enforced stubbornly.
" Sure, " scoffed Kuririn sarcastically. He did, however, cringe when Katera regarded him with a harsh glare.
The Saiyan warrior sullenly regarded everyone in the room; Gokuu, Chichi, Gohan, Piccolo, Tenshinhan, Chaou-zu, Kuririn, Bulma, and Vejiita. She smirked internally as her eyes rested on the prince. She had a perfect kill shot at his heart open to her, and he knew it. But no, not now, she had sadly more important things to occupy her attention.
Suddenly Vejiita guessed it. " It's Jiiyar, isn't it? "
Katera snapped full attention to him. Her surprise at his words showed all too clearly on her face.
Vejiita gave her a derisive grin. " Yes, it is. I remember Jiiyar. He's quite angry with you, isn't he, Katera? Killed his twin brother then destroyed his planet and left him alive just to torture him, didn't you? I'm proud. " What would have been a compliment anywhere else, was purely insult to Katera. Proud? Hah! The prince shrugged, " Or so I've heard. "
" Most of it's true, " Katera admitted.
" So, what's the deal with this Jiiyar guy? " Bulma asked.
" Ooh, " Chichi moaned, " All these nasty people are coming to this planet. "
Katera answered, having had enough of Vejiita explaining for her, " He, in order to get revenge on me, he took to creating an army of everyone I've ever pissed off. " Katera gave a faint smile, " Which is a surprising lot considering the amount I've killed. Now they think they have enough to defeat me combined, and have come for me. "
" Oh, " said Bulma.
" I-Is it enough... " Kuririn asked fearfully, " ... to- to beat you? "
Katera seemed to struggle with her words, " There's one power... I don't recognize it, but it's extremely high. I-- "
" You can't defeat it, " Vejiita said with extreme satisfaction.
" Neither can you, baka! " Katera snapped.
" Okay, " Gokuu said resolutely, " we'll help you with your enemies, Katera. "
" What?! " several in the room demanded, Vejiita's voice being the loudest of them all.
" No, " Bulma intervened, " Sonkun's right, they may think that we were harboring a criminal, and attack us for that. " She licked her lips nervously, " We have to help Katera. "
" But, " Chichi piped up meekly, " I can't get ahold of Sarro or Yamcha. "
" What?! " Bulma declared, " They'd better not be out together! "
" But Bulma, " Kuririn pointed out, " You dumped him. "
Bulma gave him a murderous look.
" That's okay, " Gokuu stated, " Sarro's trying to retire, remember? She doesn't have to fight. We'll be fine without Yamcha. Let's go. "
On the way out the house, Vejiita muttered to Katera, " Don't think that I'll ever be this soft with you, Katera-Ope. Our final battle is approaching soon. "
Katera smirked. " That is, Ojisama, provided Kakarrot doesn't keep that from happening. He's quite the fool, neh? "
" Yes, " Vejiita growled, " I know that all too well. "
---------------------------------------------------------------------
In orbit around the Earth, a dark skinned figure in a long black cloak observed as the planet spun below in oblivious bliss. Behind him, a blue skinned man with a long green ponytail and angular amber eyes emerged from the shadows and gave a slight bow.
" Sir, " he said in something of a greeting-slash-question.
" Yes, Jiiyar, " said the figure, " she is coming. Be patient. She is bringing her new friends. The battle I promised you is at hand..."
... and that which I promised myself is about to be revealed. How
clever you are, Zellosama, to have hidden yourself so well on this planet...
¤¤
[Huh? Who the heck is Zello? Okay, as writer, I do know. But this is a slight surprise for me. Poor Vejiita, he just has no say in anything anymore. Heheh. Anyway! How will the battle with Jiiyar and the rest of Katera's personal demons go? Who's the guy in the shadows? Is Yamcha a big flirt or What?! Next, it's Chapter Six; That Many! Is it too Late to Turn Back?]
[Written by Inseiko, 1999]
¤