Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Bonds and Beginnings ❯ Chapter 10 ( Chapter 10 )

Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Piccolo, Ryven and Snowblind were making their way through the woods at a slow pace. Ryven had to stop frequently and let spells of dizziness pass, and although Piccolo was patient for the most part, Ryven was not. She growled and cursed herself every time she had to do so, leaning against a tree or against a rock with her eyes closed.

".... Shimatta, if I ever see him again, so help me," she threatened in a low voice, one hand bracing against a large rock while the other rubbed her eyebrows. Piccolosan stopped ahead and looked at her, then to the sky.

"Ryven, why do you not just let me carry you," he said, slightly irritated. "We would cover more ground that way."

"Because I can do this." she replied shortly and wearily.

Piccolo grunted and came forward. "Che, we do not have all day, there are guards looking for us..." Stooping a bit, he suddenly took her arm firmly and slung it around his shoulder and held it there as he put his other hand around her waist. He lifted her off the ground slightly but with support.

Ryven jumped in surprise. "Hey-!"

"I do not want to hear it, this is for your own good." Piccolo cut her off before she could protest. "Make your wolf change into a raven or something."

Snowblind didn't need to be told, but merely morphed into a raven. He flew over to Ryven, and she took him in her free hand and shoved him down her tunic. That being done, Piccolo nodded and took to the air, flying with her a distance over the forest before landing in another denser, more isolated part of the woods. Descending carefully, the two melded into the treetops and onto the shaded, needle and fern covered ground. The sound of running water echoed off the huge, old trees. Moss hung from their huge branches like curtains, while bushes of wild berries skirted the trees' trunks. The forest here was much darker and moist than the last part, greener and mostly untouched by humanoid hands. Until now.

"It's nice here," Ryven commented in a hushed voice. "This place must be extremely old."

Piccolo nodded, setting her firmly on the ground next to a large tree. She leaned against it, taking in the lush scenery with wide eyes. Taking a moment to open her tunic's neck, she allowed her familiar to fly from it. She watched him fly up to a limb, then laced it back up. Stooping down, she made a circle of stones and piled pine needles and twigs up, starting them to flame with a miniscule ki blast. She reached around behind her and grabbed a few larger pieces from her bag, tossing them on the fire and sitting down, almost falling down, against the tree.

She stared into the flames, the memories finally coming to her as she played them over and over in her head; how he had snuck up on her like he had, both times. How he seemed to look at her, through her soul when he fed. How he seemed to be so gentle with her, to want her so badly, even though it was unwelcome at first. How toward the end she actually ended up liking what he was doing, even though didn't want to admit it to herself, or really know what was going on.

Why do I feel so funny about him? she asked herself, still staring, but shaking her head to clear the thoughts. Is this normal? He wanted to kill me, for gods' sakes. I shouldn't dwell on it, though. Bastard's untrustworthy.

"Young One?" Piccolo asked from opposite the fire. Ryven snapped her head up, her thoughts broken.

"Wha-?"

"Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"Get some rest, we have already lost enough training to this whole fiasco." Piccolo growled non threateningly. "You need to get well again."

"Aye," she replied, sighing a bit. At once she laid down across from him, facing toward the fire. She slid her arm under her head and brought her knees closer to her, then closed her eyes.

Piccolo waited for her long breaths, signaling that she was indeed asleep, then stood up and moved to the other side of the fire. He stared at her, noticing that a small amount of her color had come back into her skin. Then he reached into his gi and pulled out a small device, one similar to that of a stopwatch with the Capsule Corp. logo painted on it. It had several brightly colored buttons on it, each designated to a specific command. The one on the top, however, read "Return" in bold red hiragana. Piccolo pushed the button that translated to "display", and in Japanese the date popped up on the small screen, as well as a countdown, having two weeks, one day, three hours, and forty nine seconds left on it.

"Shimatta ... cutting it a little close," he mumbled, pushing the button again and dropping it back in his gi. "If we don't act soon ..." He looked back down to his student, taking a moment to gently brush some hair from her face. She was still slightly cold, but not deathly cold like before. She stirred a little and pulled the now-dirty blanket tighter around herself.

Piccolo was about to get up to go meditate when suddenly he felt a twinge in the air, like another power level had entered the vicinity. Sensing its intensity and its darkness, he growled slightly and settled back down next to her, and began his vigil that lasted the rest of that day and throughout most of the night. But soon he grew weary, and had to rest. Leaving her, he stood up and moved a short distance away, far enough to meditate and close enough to sense her. Piccolo cast one last vigilant look at her, then began to levitate as he slipped silently into meditation.

Long after dark, the girl stirred again and opened her eyes, sleepily looking about. She sat up, pushing the blanket aside. Piccolo was still a short distance away, meditating as usual, while her familiar was in the tree above her. The fire was burning low, and the charred wood within it glowed with orange intensity. Ryven took all of it in for a moment, feeling thirsty and sick to her stomach all at the same time. She stood up wobbly and began to wander toward where she heard the water running, using the trees for braces as her hand drifted to her stomach. Grimacing suddenly, she broke out into an all out run toward the water, until finally she came upon a small creek, it's water smooth on top and fast moving underneath. Ryven stopped, wobbled and fell to her knees, and was sick in the brook. She laid there for a while, one hand in the water while she watched it flow in it's banks, until finally she got up the strength to push herself up, moving farther up the bank to drink some of it's cold, clean water.

Ryven somehow pulled herself back to her feet and wandered back toward the campfire, tired, sick and cold, feeling vulnerable than ever before in her current state. Coming back toward camp she saw Piccolo sitting on the ground now, looking at his timer again, against tree she was lying next to earlier. She shakily came back and sat next to him, and, without hesitating, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, pulling the blanket around her own shoulders. Piccolo tensed a moment, looking down at her.

"What's this for?"

"...'cause."

"Just because?" he frowned, putting the thing back in his gi. Ryven nodded against his shoulder.

"Just `cause," she confirmed with her eyes closed. Piccolo grunted a bit and started to move, but then seemed to think better of it, or rather Kami was harassing him again.

**Piccolo, be nice. She obviously doesn't feel well.**

**So? I do not want her to get sick on me. She will be fine.**

**Do you want me to take over?**

**What do you think?**

**What would you feel like if you had most of your blood drained from you to the brink of death?**

**Alright, alright! Fine, just stop harassing me, Old Man.**

Piccolo sighed heavily and looked down at her, and tentatively took her by the shoulders, lying her down on his lap.

"Here, Young One, this should be more comfortable," he said with some measure of concern laced with reluctance, but then added roughly, "But do not expect this to be a regular thing, understand?" Ryven, however surprised, nodded.

"Aye," she replied quietly, looking up at him for a moment. Piccolo grunted as she settled into him more, slipping quickly and quietly into a thick, hard sleep. He looked down at her again with a bland expression, merely pulling the blanket further over her shoulders and staring into the embers of the fire. Growing bored, he closed his eyes and began to meditate where he sat, having nothing else to do.

An hour or so passed that way, and though Piccolo was deep in meditation and Ryven was deep in sleep, the sensation of the other power still permeated the air. The forest sounds masked his footsteps as he drew nearer, but Piccolo sensed his approach. Jenaar's dark figure traipsed though the woods, not bothering to hide himself at all. Walking non-chalantly, he wandered right into where Piccolo and Ryven were camped. Piccolo's eyes snapped open as he growled and tensed, going to get up but stopped by Ryven's upper body on his lap. Jenaar merely smirked and squatted on the other side of the fire.

"So, how long have you two been going together?" he asked casually. Piccolo merely glared.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he snapped, slowly powering up.

"You know what I mean, how long have you two been... you know " Jenaar smiled.

"Baka," he mumbled. "We are not like that."

Jenaar nodded. "Oh, I see."

"Now get out of my sight before I-"

"Calm down, I mean no harm," Jenaar held his hands up in defeat. "I was just wondering if I could travel with you two for a while."

Piccolo snorted. "What do you think? You really are hoping for a blast through your forehead, are you not?"

"Well, ya can't really do anything to me with her on your lap." Jenaar shrugged. "You could always put her down."

"Not while you are here," Piccolo growled, his anger suddenly rising a bit. The vampire chuckled.

"Ahh, are you still sore about that whole thing?" he asked innocently. "Naw, I mean no harm. Seriously. I just want someone to travel with."

"We have not the time for you." Piccolo said shortly, then added nastily. "Why are you here? Really? She does not have enough blood to drain."

Jenaar blushed a bit at that remark. "So sorry about that ... I was ordered to by that nasty lord. If I had a choice I wouldn't have done it."

"Feh. You always have a choice." Piccolo scoffed.

"Not always," Jenaar mumbled lowly.

At that moment Ryven stirred in Piccolo's lap, rolling over slightly and opening her eyes. She let out a soft moan and blinked a few times, looking into the fire a few seconds before letting her eyes wander above it. As she did she saw two empty gray portals staring back at her through the flames, the fire playing tricks on her as it danced in the two bottomless, vampiric eyes. Ryven started a bit and made a worried noise in the back of her throat, then she struggled a bit against the blanket and made a grab for her sword. Deeply inward, however, her heart leapt at his presence, the same feelings for him that she fought off earlier that day resurfacing.

The vampire smiled softly. "You slept well, I imagine?"

"Get away from me..." she whispered, sitting up slowly and drawing her sword, but not moving very far from her Sensei's lap. Piccolo seemed to agree with her on that point, grabbing onto her shoulders and holding her firmly, protectively. He slid her out of his lap a little, however, and began to power up. Jenaar sighed and shook his head, not powering up at all, just staying knelt on the other side of the fire.

"Please, before you both tear me into pieces, at least hear me out," Jenaar asked quietly, making no move to retaliate. Piccolo growled deeply, his power flaring, but Ryven eyed him deeply.

"No, let him talk." she said quietly. Piccolo snapped his head down to stare at his student in disbelief.

"You are talking nonsense, Ryven!" he growled. "He nearly killed you, and we have but only a precious few weeks left to train!"

She shook her head. "No, Sensei, everyone deserves a second chance... I want to hear his side." she replied. Piccolo growled, not relinquishing his grip on her, but merely nodded, looking away.

Jenaar smiled charmingly. "You are gracious and kind, Ryven."

Ryven blushed a slight bit at it, but lowered her eyes and her head, trying to hide it. "I know, spill it."

"Alright then," he nodded, catching her blush and smiling subtly to himself. "You see, when I was turned, I was sought out because of my thieving skills as a mortal. You could image that Al'Thor wanted the very best-"

"What does that have to do with you draining her?" Piccolo cut him off rudely. Ryven cast him a short lived glare while Jenaar narrowed his eyes.

"I was getting to that. I've been in his servitude for years now, and if I ever tried to disobey his order, or escape..." he paused, making a slashing motion over his neck.

"That's terrible..." Ryven replied. Piccolo, however, was still skeptical.

"If you are such a great thief, then why have you not been able to escape by now?" Piccolo questioned once again. "Any thief good enough for Al'Thor to employ would surely be good enough to escape his clutches."

"I have escaped, though he doesn't know yet." Jenaar replied solemnly.

"Then you are a danger to both of us." Piccolo concluded. "Which means in his hunting, he will find us as well. Leave."

"Piccolosan, that was terribly rude of you!" Ryven suddenly exclaimed, looking up at him. "Here he is asking for our help and you're almost forcing him to leave!"

"There is no "almost" about it; I am forcing him to leave." her sensei replied gruffly, not taking his eyes of the vampire for a moment. Jenaar sighed and looked into the fire, then looked to Ryven imploringly, almost desperately. He gazed deep into her eyes through the flames, trying to dig his proverbial claws into her. Ryven gazed back, her deep blue eyes stirring something in him, scratching the surface of something large and unnamed in his heart, something that he had kept buried for a very long time.

As Ryven gazed back at him, she felt something tugging in her chest. Not physically, but rather emotionally. She gazed at him further, trying to sort out what she was experiencing, feeling tingly and warm and almost giddy.

"Ryven...please." he quietly pleaded.

"I..." Ryven stuttered a little, confusion flashing across her face, lost in his eyes but trying to comprehend why. Piccolo looked down and caught her moment of weakness, and scowled.

"No. My word is final. Leave."

Ryven looked up at her sensei just as questioningly, but was met with a stony face, intense, angry black eyes boring holes into the vampire's head. Ryven was shocked. She couldn't believe he was doing this! Couldn't he see that Jenaar was sincere? Couldn't he see that Jenaar needed help? It angered her, and she tensed in Piccolo's grip as she clenched her teeth. Piccolo noticed and glared down at her, silencing her opposition. He then flicked his eyes back up toward Jenaar.

"Now would be a good time, undead." Piccolo growled in a low rumble. The vampire sighed and stood up stiffly, then nodded, turning slowly.

"Alright....alright, I'll go." he said dejectedly, then cast a hurt, almost blaming look at Ryven. "Thank you...for listening to my side."

"Aye, don't mention it..." she nodded back, then watched his figure retreat to the shadows.

After a few minutes, Piccolo snorted. "Feh. What nerve."

Ryven frowned distastefully and pulled away from him suddenly, leaning on the tree they sat against and pulling her knees to her chest to keep warm. Piccolo blinked and looked down at her, puzzled.

"What was that for?" he asked irritably, cocking an eyebrow and crossing his arms.

"Nevermind, you wouldn't understand." Ryven retorted bitterly. "Goodnight."

Piccolo snarled a little bit. "Nonsense. What has come over you?"

"Nothing!"

"Young one!" he barked, glowering down at her pale form disapprovingly. "You will not take that tone with me. Now something is bothering you, and I want to know what it is. Is it because of that undead that just left?"

"Aye! Happy?!" Ryven shot back, sitting up, her cheeks red just under her eyes.

Piccolo actually blinked. "Ryven...he nearly killed you."

"Aye, but he didn't! Something stopped him!"

"He should not have even had to stop! He should not have even been in your room!"

"That's not the point!"

"Then what is? Ryvenchan, I do not understand this! You were angry with him for making suggestions that were inappropriate, then he nearly killed you, and now you are angry with me for turning him away after all of this?!" Piccolo shot back, exasperated.

"AYE!!!...No..." Ryven screamed, then withered a little against the trunk, shaking her head. She reeled a little in her spot on the ground with dizziness, her stomach threatening to purge itself again. "I don't know..."

Piccolo fell silent a moment, watching her form as she too grew quiet. She retched a little, then looked up at him, hugging herself in her insecurity. Her eyes were pensive, troubled.

"Ryvenchan...tell me what is truly wrong." Piccolo asked quietly, trying to sound consoling.

"I ...I don't know..."

~I think you do know, Young One.~ He sent to her quietly. He reached over tentatively, then placed his hand on her shoulder. Ryven flinched a little, then sighed again. ~No...no, I don't know, Sensei.~ she replied. ~I truly don't.~ Ryven shook her head a little, curling up in her blanket and shivering slightly.

Piccolo sighed, but took a deep breath and pulled her into his lap again to keep her warm. The fire crackled a little and had since burned down a little, but Piccolo levitated a piece of wood into the fire, to keep it going. An owl hooted somewhere in the forest, and for a little while, it was quiet, save the sounds of the forest. Ryven curled into him more, and he didn't seem to mind.

She felt as if she were younger again, during the first few years of her training, when she would get scared and he would allow her to sleep in his lap. She barely mentioned these things to him, or how much she enjoyed it. He was so stern and stolid, and often gruff with her. She would rather not have spoiled it. Because, somehow, letting him console her made her feel so much better, like she could let go and let him take the burden for a while.

It's nice to have someone to rely on, sometimes.

~Perhaps you could tell me what you feel, Ryvenchan. I believe we both may be able to sort this out.~ Piccolo's sending tugged her from her thoughts, and she opened her eyes and looking up at him.

~But I don't know how I feel, Papasan. I don`t know what to sort out... ~

The title made him stiffen a little. He wasn't used to it, and while he was grateful that she rarely addressed him as so, he had mixed feelings about it still. They had promised each other years before that though they may think of each other so, that they wouldn't address each other as so, no matter what they felt. However, Piccolo knew something big must have been troubling her, because she only called him that when she was afraid or unsure of herself.

~Alright. Let us sort through this. Why are you confused?~ Piccolo asked quietly, as gently as he could muster. After the recent danger she was in, he felt more apt to treat her with less grit than he had before.

Ryven took a deep breath. ~...Jenaar makes me feel funny. And I don't know why.~

~...makes you feel funny? Funny how? Perhaps it is an adverse affect of his drain.~

~Maybe...but every time he's around, I feel all tingly and giddy. My heart races, and I dunno why. It's very confusing. It makes me want to be nice to him, but he tried to kill me...~ Ryven shook her head and sigh heavily. ~I'm so confused.~

Piccolo stiffened again.

Iie, not this, not yet, not now.... He thought suddenly, closing his eyes. And CERTAINLY NOT with HIM!

~...Papasan? Is something wrong?~ Ryven asked, lifting her head to gaze up at his face after feeling his body tense. Her face paled a little in worry. ~It's bad, huh? What I'm feeling? Oh gods...~

Piccolo neglected to answer right away. He didn't know how to answer. On one hand, he could tell her that yes, it was a bad feeling, and that she should avoid him by whatever means possible.

Iie...that would be manipulation. he told himself disdainfully. To do so would be wrong. She is her own person, and I cannot hold on to her forever...

~....Papa?~

~Iie, it is not a bad thing, from what I have heard.~ Piccolo finally replied, opening his eyes and gazing down at her. She looked so young, so innocent though all she's gone through. It stung him deep in his chest to see her as so, and then to know that she was going to grow away from him.

Ryven let out a sigh of relief. ~Then what is it...?~

~I believe you are having romantic sentiments toward that undead bastard, be it emotions or hormones.~

~....romantic sentiments?~ She asked quietly, seeming to think it over.

~Hai. And I think he may lust after you, and is trying to use your confusing against you.~

~...but why would he want an ugly halfbreed like me?~ asked Ryven, her voice slightly bitter. Piccolo wrapped his arms around her gently.

~You should not refer to yourself so, aijou.~

~What's that mean? Aye-jo?~

~...it is a word in my language. It means "beloved daughter."~ Piccolo replied after some hesitance.

~Oh. But I thought you said-~ Ryven began, gazing up at him a little softer.

~Nevermind what I said. That was then and this is now. As I would still appreciate it if such sentiments were not used in battle or training, I would....I would like to use them when nothing is going on.~

Words of a desperate fool, Piccolo. he chided himself. Are you that afraid of losing her?

~....so I am ugly, though.~

~Huh? You are not. Why would you say such a thing?~

~Because you didn't disagree when I said it.~

~Iie, I was distracted. You are not unappealing, Ryvenchan. You are quite visually pleasing to look at, as well as your personality, as far as elves and humans go.~

Ryven blushed deep red and nuzzled her face into his gi embarrassedly. ~I thought you didn't have a gender?~

~I do not. Just because I do not have a sex does not mean I cannot enjoy looking at attractive people. I merely cannot develop feelings for them, is all.~ He said, then stroked her hair back and behind her ears. ~Besides, I would not for you anyway. You are like a daughter to me. But a...bishou daughter. Bishou no aijou. I am surprised it took this long for someone to seek you out in such a way.~

Ryven blushed deeper into his gi and was silent, listening to him speak and breath, and all the forest sounds around her. The fire burned brightly before them as the stars twinkled in the sky above. Then, after moments had passed, she spoke again.

~...I don't know what to do about this. Something in me wants to give him a second chance. But he makes you angry, and he makes us fight.~

~You must follow your heart and your mind on this, aijou.~ her sensei replied. ~Although, I must warn you that if he tries anything, I will not hesitate to kill him. I will not have him harming you. And I cannot forbid you from seeing him. You would only be angry, and it would make you go and do it anyway, despite my word.~

~Alright, papa.~ replied Ryven, pulling the blanket closer around her shoulders. ~I'm sorry for yelling at you.~

~It is alright, I know why you did, though I do not understand. But do not dwell. Tomorrow is another day. And you must rest to regain your strength.~ Piccolo stated, holding the blanket around her, then wrapping his cloak around them both.. ~I ...I must also apologize. For being so short with you in the time that I have known you. I suppose you do not know what you have until you nearly lose it.~

~Papa, you'll never lose me. I promise.~ Ryven said, then wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him in a hug. Piccolo clutched her back to him gently, stroking her hair back all the while, his hands trailing down the long blonde tresses. And then he smiled gently.

A small comfort, at least.

~Now sleep, young one. I will not leave.~ He told her quietly. Ryven nodded against the crook of his neck, then closed her eyes, warmed by his arms and the fire in front of them, drifting off exhaustedly.