Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Echoes Across Time ❯ Part 06 ( Chapter 6 )

I do not own DBZ that privilege belongs to Akira Toriyama it's owner and inventor.

:What a person is thinking:

::Mind to mind conversation; mental telepathy for those who want to get technical.::

Forgot to mention last time that Trunks is four years older than she is making him 14 and Goten is 13. Bura is four years younger making her 6 and Pan is 7 in this story.

Chapter 6

Teacha came to calling out in anguish. She sat up in bed flinging aside the covers in disgust. The nightmares kept coming and she could not shake them. Breathing a little heavily, she leaped from the bed and began to dress in some casual clothing. She placed some clothes into a pack with the glint of determination in her emerald eyes.

She was determined, once and for all, to conquer her inner demons. There was one place where she could get help. A place where she could relax enough to let down all her barriers. She placed the pack over her shoulder, envisioned her grandmother's lab. She teleported herself there and placed a note she had written earlier on her grandmother's desk. There it sat propped up to be discovered later when her grandparent returned from her business trip.

She closed her eyes to envision the Lookout where Dende, guardian of the Earth, resided with Mr, Popo. A smile appeared on her lips just thinking of the dark being who served Dende. Mr. Popo did not really know how to react to her mischievous ways. He seemed to always be wearing a resigned look when she came to visit.

She located her own quarters that were empty awaiting her arrival. She saw that the fridge had been well stocked. She smiled slightly, taking a deep breath she relaxed her mind and imagined that she was there.

When she opened her eyes she was at the Lookout, in her quarters. Sometimes she felt a little guilty for coming here to seek solace from Dende. Being around the Namek helped her when things seemed so dim. Her grandfather was great, but he could not help her when she needed a shoulder to lean on. Her grandmother was very busy with her own children. She did not want to take away from her relatives. Bura was at an age when she needed a lot of attention and Trunks was starting to be independent.

She threw down her pack upon the plain, double bed. She glanced around the plainly appointed quarters that had become a second home to her. There were no shelves crammed with toys and electronic gadgets. Instead, there was a bed along one wall, a big fridge in one corner and a small closet. Beside the bed there was a table with an alarm in the shape of a frog.

For some reason food always seemed to taste better up in the Lookout. The first thing she did was reach into the fridge and grab a few things to eat. She had to be honest with herself, she had not eaten much that night for supper. She had picked at her food until her grandfather sent her to her room.

He seemed to be a little short with her lately, more so than usual. She could not figure out why he was constantly on her case. It was like he watching every move she made. She hated that since it made her so jumpy. To make things worse, he was also making their training sessions more intense which left her more tired than usual.

She looked down in surprise to find that she had cleaned out the fridge. She sighed, gathering together all the plates. She deposited them in the sink that was a little ways from her room. She poured fresh water over them and began to clean them.

She remembered when she was much younger. She was over at the Son's house playing with Goten and Trucks. Chichi, Goku's wife, had asked her to help with the dishes. She had laughed at the idea saying that she did not do woman's work. Chichi had hit the roof screaming at her until she was forced to hide behind Goku for protection. That had not been the end of the session. Chichi had given her a very long list of chores to do around the Son's house. She had tried, in vain, to get away from doing all those chores. She had hoped her grandmother would rescue her. No such luck. Chichi had beaten her to the phone calling to tell Bulma about the incident.

For ever after that she was weary of Chichi and never called those chores women's work again. She had been stuck for a whole month that never seemed to end doing those kind of chores. Her grandmother had not been amused, either. The worst thing she hated above all others was laundry. Nothing could be worse that one.

She stacked the dishes so that they could dry then went in search of Dende. She cloaked her presence so that no one could tell that she was there.

" Hey, Mr. Popo," she called out upon spying the dark, short guy dressed in white robes. He jumped nearly a foot in the air coming down muttering.

" Mr. Popo does not like it when Teancha appears suddenly. Announce yourself ahead of time," he admonished.

" Sorry," she said with a little chuckle, " Is Dende about?"

" He is with a guest at the moment--" he began.

" Piccolo?" The Namek was someone she rarely ever got to see because her grandfather always had something for her to do the moment he showed up. Her grandfather did not want her associating with the Namek for some reason she could not understand. She knew better than to question him directly.

" No, Goku."

" Oh. What does Grandpa want with Dende?"

" Popo does not interfere in the affairs of others."

She laughed giving him an impulsive hug knowing that it would embarrass the little guy. " I know that you can keep any secret. Is this a private thing or can I join them?"

He thought her words over a moment before leading the way. He opened the door a crack--

" Hey, Dende. Grandpa," she was floating over the table where they sat discussing something.

" Tean," the Namek greeted her cautiously while Goku shook his head at her entrance.

" Up to your old tricks?" Her grandpa asked getting up to hug her.

She gave him her most innocent look that had melted harder hearts. He ruffled her hair.

" How's Vegita and the rest doing?"

" Officially, I'm no longer on restriction this week at least. Goten is visiting again and grandfather is threatening to charge him rent. Grandmother is away on some business involving some new foreign investors. Trunks has some new girlfriend," she rolled her eyes still too young to understand that part, " Bura is driving grandfather crazy with her endless questions. He swears that next time grandmother has to go somewhere he's going away on vacation."

" Where is Dr. Briefs and his wife, Bunny?"

" They got smart and decided to go away on vacation before grandmother left. They know better than to be in residence when grandmother is away," she said with a laugh.

" Is that why you appear so tired?"

She floated away from his arms and took up a seat. The forced gaiety seemed to seep out of her. What remained was a little girl who looked utterly dejected.

" I can't sleep at night and grandfather has stepped up our training sessions. I am exhausted," she admitted.

Dende and Goku shared a look. The last of the old memories were breaking down. His future self had come and explained a few things to him and Dende. That had been the weirdest experience of his life. He had promised to keep an eye out on the girl Teancha that had been placed in Vegita's care.

He had to admit to himself that Vegita had taken his duty seriously in training the girl. He seemed to care for the kid in his own way. He was even fond of his daughter, Bura. The Buu incident had really changed him.

" Do you want to stay here for a few nights and try to rest up?" Dende offered.

She nodded then yawned, " I want to get to the bottom of these dreams. Confront them head-on. I can't do that with the way things are at home."

Goku knew what she was leaving unsaid. Her home could be just as noisy as his own. With a teenager in residence the peace was gone for good. Add hormones and Saiyan blood that created one powerful mixture.

" Do you want me to tuck you in?"

" Grandpa, I'm not a baby anymore," she kissed him lightly on the cheek then winked as she disappeared.

" I didn't know she knew that particular trick," Goku blinked in surprise.

" She has been known to pick up new abilities with ease," said a figure detaching itself from the shadows.

Goku gave a rueful laugh when he spotted the green Namek warrior, Piccolo.

" What are you doing hiding amongst the shadows?"

" Trying to follow your grandchild from the future. She is a very hard person to track. She cloaks her ki signature very well."

" That has been one of her key abilities," Goku admitted with some pride in his voice.

" Well, it makes my job almost impossible at times. Her grandfather, Vegita, will not allow me to get close to her. Do you know what he has against me? I have not seen him being so protective of Trunks in the past. Why is he keeping me from Tean?"

Goku shook his head a little perplexed. " Now, that you mention it. He has been a little over protective of her when it comes to you. That is not a trait that I would associate with Vegita. Chichi, yes."

" I have been able to observe them at times when they go off to train doing some of the more advanced stuff. She can cloak her ki and still power up to Super Saiyan even to level two."

" What," Goku sat up as if he had been stung, " That is something none of us has been able to do. How is that possible? She could attack and none of us would ever be able to feel her coming."

Piccolo nodded while Dende sat there with a thoughtful look upon his face.

" Didn't your future self say something along those same lines?"

" Yeah, I guess your right. He did say something about her powering up to Super Saiyan and he couldn't feel her."

" When she powers up, she does not go through the characteristic changes that the rest of you do. There is a kind of white glow about her that is all."

" Hmm...that is strange. Her hair should turn yellow."

" It doesn't."

" Just how strong do you think she is?"

Piccolo looked him right in the eye, " Very strong. When she powers up the air around her seems to be alive for all that she hides it behind strong barriers. The worse part is when she powers up to her max. It seems to take a heavy toll on her."

" The only level that I know of that wipes out a Saiyan is--"

" Super Saiyan three," Dende finished for him.

" Is this the reason why she is so worn out?"

Piccolo nodded, " Vegita has been driving her to do her upmost ability for the past week."

" Damn, him. What is he trying to do? Burn her out," Goku cursed his temper starting to rise at the very thought. He always saw Teancha as special. She had lost her entire family.

" No, I think he has something else in mind. It's risky, but will help her," the Namek warrior spoke thoughfully.

" He's trying to break through the last of the barriers," Dende spoke in sudden realization.

" He's risking her sanity," Goku was not happy about the conclusion.

* * *

Teancha came awake. Her early childhood memories restored to her. The last of the barriers had broken down last night. She now knew the truth about what had taken place that fateful day. She tossed aside the covers and rose up from the bed. She dressed carefully into her own version gi that was a dark shade of green that matched her eyes.

There was a cold, controlled, fury bubbling beneath the surface as she exited the quarters. She was hungry so went to the kitchen where she grabbed up some food from the sideboard. She grabbed things at random and sat down at the empty table to eat. She paid no attention to the food that she was consuming. Her mind was on the unknown assailants who had murdered her family.

She clenched her fist, she would find those responsible for the deed. She would deal a final blow to that party. She would rid the universe of their existence. She swept up the dishes and deposited them into the sink. She did not risk her temper this morning so she left them for someone else to clean them.

She found an isolated place on Lookout to spy out the enemy. She knocked aside the last barrier and felt the power coming surging up within her. She glorified in the sweetness as it was apart of her being. A white glow seemed to envelope her as she sent out her senses searching for the enemy. The search took her away from earth, deep into the cosmos, to a world that orbited a brown dwarf. The world appeared to be dead, yet deep down, below the surface, life of a sorts, stirred.

She felt her Saiyan blood begin to sing loudly with anticipation of the coming battle. She locked onto her target, already tasting victory in her mouth. She gathered her power ready to strike the fatal blow--

Whack! She felt something strike her harshly from behind. She tried to focus on this new frontal attack. Beneath her, her knees were starting to give way.

" No," she managed to gasp as she looked up.

Above her wearing a deep mask of anger that stole the breath from her body, stood Prince Vegita. He was breathing heavily as if he had come a great distance very fast. Her green eyes held betrayal before her long lashes closed over them.

* * *

" Why," she demanded through clenched teeth rising from the bed where she had been placed, " I could have struck the enemy down with--"

" And called attention to yourself. That place was a trap. It left you open, venerable to any attack," her grandfather raged, his eyes narrowing dangerously, " You are not ready for a frontal attack."

" I am ready," she matched him glare for glare. This time she was not going to back down.

" Are you," he challenged, almost sneering, " I knocked you unconscious with one blow. If I had been the enemy you would be dead. In war there is no such thing as fair."

She got up from the bed, gave him a hurt look, then slammed out of the room. He came tearing out after her to see her take off to parts unknown.

Goku grabbed his arm when he would have given chase.

" She needs time to cool off and think."

" Let go of me," Vegita aimed a blow in his direction only to have it caught squarely in the palm of his rival.

The Prince turned to confront him, " That was not something that I showed her. Did you--"

" No, she must have picked it up on her own. She has learned to experiment new techniques."

The Prince snorted, " I have taught her to be resourceful."

" Maybe a little too resourceful if that is any indication of her abilities."

" Does it upset you Karakott that she may surpass even you?"

" Damn, it Vegita. She could get into some serious trouble someday."

" I am always watchful of her. She may think that she has free rein but I keep her on a tight

leash"

Thus ends part 6 of Echoes Across Time. Part 7 is really going to be challenging and will have a few surprises in it. Review and tell me what you think.