Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Errant Exile ❯ Castle in the Sky ( Chapter 7 )

Errant Exile

Chapter 6: - "Castle in the Sky "

"Exactly why did you come back to Earth?" - Piccolo to Khri, Chapter 5

Fingers tightened and pulled out a large clump of grass and moist earth. The mass crumbled as she squeezed her hand to a fist. "Piccolo, I don't know." She brushed her hands off, sat up and hugged her knees again. "When the Leonid fleet returned to this part of the galaxy a few days ago, I received very odd orders from the head of the Clan's offices. I'm supposed to live here on Earth and stick close to Goku and his family."

"Goku? Why?"

Khri shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea. Until last night I'd never met Goku, although I'd read reports about him. Eldest, our Clan patriarch, has access to information I can only dream about, so I have to hope he's got a good reason for sending me here indefinitely. The orders came on such short notice I didn't even have time to research the Son family before I left." The bitterness was back, but it didn't feed as strong this time. "I'm flying blind, Piccolo. I have no information, just hunches and feelings. I hate making decisions based on those alone."

"Sometimes they're more reliable than you think," Piccolo said. "I know that certain Kaios don't have any qualms about getting involved. They'll nudge people to get them to act the way they want them to."

Khri took a deep breath. The conversation was turning out to be more productive than she had hoped. Trust was a thing she rarely gave to anyone - it had taken more than ten years for Sai to prove himself - but Piccolo was demonstrating far more insight than she could have hoped for. "You have personal experience with Kaio interference, don't you?"

Piccolo snorted. "You could say that."

She swivelled to face him and crossed her legs. "Will you please tell me?"

"You probably won't believe me."

"Don't underestimate my ability to accept what sounds unbelievable, Piccolo."

The big Namekian gave her a hard look, but relented. "Fine," he said, crossing his arms a little tighter. "I was 'trained' in the afterlife by Kaio-Sama before Gohan wished me back to life with the Dragonballs from Namek. The Supreme Kai himself came to Earth to try and prevent the release of a creature named Buu. Don't even ask me about Kami-Sama. Goku has far more experience with the afterlife than I do, fortunately, so you might want to talk to him."

Piccolo's claims were, on the surface, too far fetched to be taken seriously, but Khri knew better. "So they are willing to interfere that directly," she whispered. "I was hoping I was wrong." When Piccolo eyed her curiously, taken aback that she believed him so readily, she continued. "Over the years, I've had a growing theory, a 'hunch,' that my Clan had drawn the attention of Kaio-Sama. I haven't spoken to this about anyone and I don't dare because there's no way I can prove such an outlandish thing. I also think Eldest knows all about it, and might even be a willing participant. There have been many times when unconventional orders have come from Home; orders that made little sense at the time. There was nothing so outrageous that it looked like divine intervention at the onset, but nearly all of the outcomes were dramatic, if not historical. It was one of those strange orders that sent me here, to Earth. And now you tell me that the Supreme Kai has been here." Khri shuddered. "If he's involved..."

"Now who is jumping to conclusions?" Piccolo asked, arching an eye ridge. "Don't you think you're being paranoid?"

"Yes, I do. But look at all that's happened in less than one day! I've met the one person I was ordered to contact by an apparent accident. And now I find you - someone I met over thirty years ago and wanted to find again - and discover you're a friend of his! It could be a coincidence, but I have to consider the alternative and I don't like it." Khri frowned up at him in suspicion. "Just how did you four learn about the crash so quickly? Telkarri don't use chi and neither do I, so you couldn't have detected it that way."

For an instant Piccolo looked uncomfortable. "That was my doing. I was in the desert and happened to see it. I notified them. If you're being watched or even influenced by Kaio-Sama or Kaio-Shin, what do you think you can do about it?"

It was Khri's turn to snort. His admission just added to her suspicions but she let the subject pass. "Not a lot. While I admit that the times I believe they've interfered things did turn out for the best, I'd like a little more guidance." Her mouth tweaked into a cynical half-smile. "There have been times when I've wanted to curse the both of them."

Piccolo smiled too. "I've done it. More than once, too."

Khri looked at the stadium, letting the memory of the bygone tournament superimpose itself over the currently empty arena. Judging by the shadows the morning had passed into early afternoon, yet she hadn't noticed. She closed her eyes, feeling the breeze in her face again, and a new thought occurred to her. What is this feeling? Is it contentment? Or is it relief because a mystery has been solved, a loose end I left finally tied up? Whatever it is, its causing me to behave a bit irresponsibly. I'm having a conversation with a most unexpected, unlikely person about things I could never discuss with anyone else, and he understands! "I hate to do this," she said softly and with all sincerity, getting to her feet, "but I must ask you to take me to the city now. There's a lot I need to accomplish today so I really need to get started. I also need time to think about things, she thought as he stood up. "I don't suppose you know of a good hotel?"

Piccolo retrieved his weighted cloak. "Is money a concern?" he asked, sliding his turban back in place.

"Ha! My expenses on Earth are being paid directly by my Clan and not from military expenditures." She gave him a sly smile. "Rumor says that account is bottomless, but I'm very tempted to see if I can find it."

The Namekian thought long and hard for a moment. "I've heard Gohan talk about the Satan City Continental, large hotel where he occasionally has conferences. He's says its nice if you afford it. He's never stayed there himself because he lives in the city."

Khri retrieved her pack from where she'd dropped it. "That should work nicely. Once I've checked in I'll let Son Goku and ChiChi know where I am. It would be rude of me to leave my armor outside their back door."

Piccolo raised his right arm in what she recognized as his offer to carry her, but she hesitated.

"What is it?"

She arched one golden eyebrow at him. "You're not going to drop me or anything...because of the way I carried you around all those years ago, are you?"

His eyes narrowed and his smile was anything but reassuring. "You'll just have to trust me."

The corner of Khri's mouth curled upward as she allowed him to hold her around the waist again. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she didn't say anything about the massive Leonid fleet not too far from Earth, which would be more than a little peeved to have their Battle Commander in exile injured from an 'accidental' fall.

Much to her relief, Piccolo resisted the urge to enact a little revenge while flying. They arrived at Satan City in very short order; the Continental Hotel, which he pointed out, was one of the tallest buildings downtown. Most of it was covered in shining, reflective gold glass and it was one of the few towers not capped by a dome or bubble. She expected him to land near the entrance to the lobby, but instead he came down a half block away in front of a row of small shops.

Khri looked around in confusion as nearby shoppers either stopped to stare or backed away. One frumpy woman screamed and hurried away, dragging an ice-cream covered child behind her. One aircar pulled away from the curb too fast to be safe and a group of teenage boys quickly ducked into a flower shop. "What the hell?" Khri growled as Piccolo released her. "I know I'm a little tall and my uniform makes me look overdressed for the climate, but I can't look that bad! Surveillance reports never implied Earthers were this rude! Piccolo, why did you land so far from the..." She paused when she saw his face. He was staring at her in total shock, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. "What's wrong?"

"Didn't it occur to you they're scared of me?" he asked incredulously.

Khri was taken aback. "You? Why would they be afraid of you?"

Piccolo continued to stare at her in disbelief, ignoring the shoppers that continued to step as far from them as possible. He finally closed his jaw and frowned down at her. "We're not through talking."

"I would certainly hope not! Now, why did you land so far from the hotel?"

The storefront door they'd landed in front of suddenly slammed shut and a 'CLOSED' sign appeared in the window. "I thought it would be best if you walked in by yourself so nobody would see you with me. You'll have less trouble that way."

Khri scowled. "Less trouble? Piccolo, what are you talking about? If you're worried that the concierge might think I'm a freak and throw me out, don't be. The one thing I've learned is that currency always talks louder than appearance." She took hold of his arm. "Come with me."

"I don't want to go in there!"

"Time to trust me." She shot him a knowing grin as she pulled him along the sidewalk. "If what I think is going to happen actually does, this could be a lot of fun. Besides, I need to give you my telephone and room number so Goku and ChiChi can reach me...if you would please play courier just this once."

The Continental Hotel, true to Gohan's recommendation, was definitely upscale. From the moment she entered the lobby with Piccolo, Khri felt herself being either avoided or outright frowned upon. Men and women dressed in expensive clothing and jewelry too flashy to be fake glared at her with obvious disdain, at least until they saw Piccolo. I don't know how they manage to look down their noses when they have to physically look up to see me, Khri wondered. She walked confidently through the glass and marble lobby, past massive gilded urns filled with fresh flowers and to up the front desk.

The short, pale man looked up from his computer and gasped. "May...May I help you?" he asked, his voice squeaking.

"Yes. I would like to rent a room for an indefinite period, please," Khri said in her most gracious, polite voice.

"I'm afraid we're completely booked."

A slightly taller and considerably heavier middle aged man with a razor thin moustache had oozed over to stand beside the nervous clerk. He was the victim of a bad comb-over and an oily voice that reminded Khri of low-level officers vying for her attention during public displays. "There's a convention in town, and all of our rooms have been booked months in advance."

Khri graced him with a broad smile that made the most of all her fangs. "I can appreciate how busy you must be, but why not run my currency codes while your associate looks to see if there's a room available?" She leaned on the desk. "That way I'm not wasting your time."

The greasy man sniffed and looked away from her as he passed the coder over the desk. "If you would kindly input your codes, I'll look to see if there's something available, but I can promise you we're overbooked right now."

Flashing a knowing grin at Piccolo, who was leaning nervously on a nearby marble pillar with his arms folded, Khri picked up the coder and stylus. Several quick taps and her thumbprint seal quickly brought another startled gasp from the clerk. "Um, sir, there's a suite available that the lady might find to her liking, given her currency rating..."

"What?" All traces of annoyance vanished as the concierge looked at the booking computer's screen. The blue glow of flashing numbers made his sudden pallor look even more sickly. "I apologize, miss, I'm afraid I've made a terrible mistake. We do have a suite available, our very finest. In fact, it's the penthouse!"

"Does it have a bathtub?"

"Oh, yes, miss! A large whirlpool tub! The flowers are changed every day and meal delivery is at your convenience! Will you pardon me a moment?" At her nod, the concierge nearly fell over himself and bolted into the back room. He reappeared a moment later, but this time in the lobby and was followed by a cadre of hotel staffers. Piccolo straightened up and glared at them, fists clenched; the staff drew a collective breath in terror and took a step back.

"It's all right," Khri told Piccolo quietly. "They're here to jump for you, if you tell them how high, but please don't torment these people any more than necessary. I'd like to be able to eat something later and guilt ruins my appetite."

Energized by thoughts of renting out the high priced suite and the prospect of really good tips, the concierge himself led Khri and Piccolo through the lobby and down a short hall, trailed by the terrified wait staff. They stopped at a set of gilded elevator doors. "The penthouse suite comes with an excellent view as well as a small, private garden, which the staff takes care of while you're out," he gushed as he inserted his plastic code key into the slot. When the doors opened Khri gently grasped Piccolo's forearm, hoping to give him some small comfort, aware of his nervousness in such close quarters with so many people. He looked down at her with an 'I'm-going-to-kill-you-later" expression. I just hope he lets me explain before he tries it, she thought, staring at the ceiling, deliberately avoiding the eyes of the terrified staff as they crowded together inside the small, stuffy box. The concierge pushed a large, gold button and the car lurched upward. Oh, Kaio, please don't let the elevator break down!

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the elevator doors finally opened into a small but lavish lobby. The concierge used the plastic key to open the huge set of ornate double doors that faced the elevator; they were also the only ones in sight. He extended his arm to allow Khri and Piccolo to go in first.

The concierge might have been a smarmy man but he wasn't a liar. The penthouse's living area was spacious, well-appointed and bright from sunlight that streamed in through the bank of windows. Outside a set of glass doors Khri could make out what had to be the 'private garden.' She found the black and gold decor a bit too ornate for her taste but she couldn't help appreciate the writing desk, the huge glass table and the comfortable looking chairs surrounding it. A black leather sofa and lacquered table squatted a few feet before a large television. A peek into the bedroom revealed king size bed - which would still be too short - but the huge tiled bathroom more than made up for the bed's shortcomings. The penthouse also had a kitchenette with a well stocked refrigerator. A waiter arrived with a wheeled cart bearing a huge covered tray and ice bucket.

"If you need anything, anything at all, please just press the green button on the telephone," the concierge said, handing Khri a gold metal room key. The staff bowed as one, then left the penthouse as quickly as they could while still trying to look gracious.

Khri breathed a sigh of relief and locked the door behind them. She set her pack on the glass table, then began to search for Piccolo. As she passed by the wheeled cart she retrieved two clear bottles of cold water from a bucket full of ice.

She found him in the private garden. It wasn't a garden in the natural sense; small potted trees and bushes had carefully been arranged to resemble one. Large, fragrant flowering shrubs camouflaged the concrete retaining walls, and a creeping vine with trumpeting lilies completely engulfed an arbor. Floating beneath it in the cool shade was Piccolo, arms crossed and legs folded in a meditative position. His eyes were closed so she left him alone, quietly taking a seat for herself on a small padded bench nearby. If the chaotic encounter with the staff had rattled him that badly, she was grateful he was taking the time to calm himself before deciding to kill her. Thirty years ago he probably would have shredded my kneecaps and more than a few bites out of me. He has definitely grown up. She opened the cap on her water bottle and took a long, slow drink. When she lowered it, she looked over to find his eyes were open and glaring furiously at her.

"Before you tear my head off and shove it down my throat, I'd like to apologize for that," she said softly, leaving the bench to stand in front of him. "I didn't expect that much fuss or I never would have insisted you come with me. I guess I forgot that Earthers tend to be a little...intolerant...of other species." She offered him the unopened bottle of water.

"Why didn't you just send the damned pests away?" he snapped, baring more fang at her than was tolerable as he resumed a standing position, his fists clenched. Baring fang was still considered an act of aggression; had he forgotten how seriously she took that action?

She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt at let it slide...this once. "I've often found it better to let people do their jobs and not interfere unless absolutely necessary," she said mildly. "If they're not allowed to perform their tasks they get very anxious and end up being more of a nuisance than if you had just let them work in the first place."

Piccolo was doing his very best to intimidate her, from folding his arms on his chest to scowling down at her with an expression so searing it could peel paint. Khri kept her face blank and didn't blink, but inside she had a vision of the rotten little Namekian she worried about for so long. A laugh right now would just make him suspicious, possibly bring up the whole "Junior" discussion all over again and make him even more angry. She gave the proffered bottle of water a small shake.

"Humph," he grunted, finally looking away. "If they had come out here I would have tossed them over the railing." He accepted the water.

"And the concierge would have happily charged me an additional fee to clean up the mess, plus a hefty surcharge if I didn't want the authorities to know about it."

Khri eyed the small bench and thought about asking him to sit with her, but a second glance showed they would have been scrunched too close for comfort. Instead, she walked over to the balcony railing and looked down. The penthouse was on the ninety-second floor and offered a great view of the city; so great, in fact, she wondered if she could see the old stadium from here. She didn't have to wait long for Piccolo join her.

"What do you know about Namekians?" he asked after taking a long drink.

How much should I tell him? Khri continued to stare across the bustling city. Should I tell him I've been studying them for decades, long before I met him? Or that the survival of his species has me worried? "I know a few things," she said, trying not to sound uncertain. "I visited Old Namek a couple of times before it was destroyed. I was very upset to hear about what Freeza did. Great Elder Guru and the Namekians I met in the nearby village were very kind to me."

Piccolo actually gasped. "You met Guru? When was this?"

"Many years ago, before I came to Earth and met you. I was on a special assignment for Eldest, acting as a fast courier." She peered up into his widened eyes. "Remember those 'hunches' we talked about? That assignment was such a curiosity I never forgot it." The trip hadn't lasted more than a day, but once she had given the Great Elder the sealed message her job was done. She took a deep breath as she returned to stare at the city. "I didn't meet many Namekians on that particular visit, but the handful I got to know were incredibly gracious and intelligent. And the little ones were absolutely adorable! They had a lot of questions, most of which I couldn't answer without a long and rather explicit explanation. I ended up doing a lot of blushing. They laughed at me but they were so cute I didn't mind." Khri smiled at the memory of a handful of tiny Nameks trying to entice her into a game of tag. "I haven't been to New Namek yet. Who is their new Great Elder?"

"Muri. Guru passed his knowledge and the power to maintain the Dragonballs to him before he died."

Khri sighed in relief. "I'm glad to hear it. I remember Muri and his attempts to make me laugh." I just hope he's able to do something about their population problem, she thought worriedly. Their numbers were so few then, and Freeza's murderous destruction of the planet hadn't helped at all.

"I'm leaving now," Piccolo suddenly announced. "I'd rather give your number to Gohan when I see him today than take it back to ChiChi. He'll pass it along to her."

She cringed at the memory of the pots-and-pans chorus that had forced her to retreat from the Son house that morning. "Yes, giving it to Gohan will be fine. Let me write it down."

Khri walked back inside, riffled through the desk in the living room and found a packet of hotel stationery. She copied the number off the phone and jotted down her name, placed it in an envelope and returned to the garden. "I promise I won't make a habit of asking you to run my errands," she said, handing it to Piccolo.

"I'm going to hold you to it." He turned to leave but she stopped him.

Khri gave him one of her half-smiles. "Piccolo, don't feel you need to come through the lobby next time. I'll keep the door to the garden open."

The tall man stared at her a long moment, then merely raised his hand in farewell. He took off at a speed fast enough to knock over the nearest potted plant.

Staring after the figure until he disappeared into the cloudless afternoon sky, Khri shook her head and righted the abused topiary. "I don't know why I said that, but I hope I have a damn good reason," she scolded herself and returned to the suite. She found a cold bottle of tea in the small refrigerator, retrieved her neglected slimpad from her knapsack, made herself comfortable at the glass table and finally got to work.

To Be Continued...

AN: If you hum "The Girl from Imponema" during the elevator scene, you have a good idea of what Piccolo was going through.