Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Errant Exile ❯ Blind Man's Bluff ( Chapter 14 )

Errant Exile

Chapter 13: "Blind Man's Bluff"

AN: This was bound to happen, sooner or later.

The distant clatter of a stylus hitting the table roused Piccolo from his deeply focused state of mental training. She's finally decided to take a break, he sighed, opening one eye.

It had taken less than a day of searching for Piccolo to find the perfect spot for meditating. The tiny clearing nestled in the lush vegetation surrounding Khri's back yard had a clear view of the ocean, but was still within earshot of her living room. Tall palms provided both shade and a pleasant sound when the ocean breeze rustled through the fronds. For the first few nights he felt out of sorts, missing the steady thunder of his favorite waterfall or the near silence of the desert, but he found the crash of the waves on the beach had a rhythm of their own. The scents in the tropics were very different as well; the bright and strange flowers had their own perfume that combined with the pleasant tang of the ocean. Even on the hottest days the continuous breeze through the open windows kept the house comfortable.

The windows were a serious problem that worried Piccolo. Sai and his team had installed clear plastic panels in the frames before leaving Earth but they were flimsy and wouldn't withstand anything larger than a stone thrown at them. After her return from Bulma's party, Sai had informed Khri of a new delay and the team wouldn't be arriving for nearly two weeks. Khri had taken the news calmly but Piccolo made a mental note to stick closer to the house, especially at night. I'm going to kick Sai's sorry ass when he finally does show up, he promised himself.

In the handful of days since Bulma's party, Piccolo realized they'd set up an informal routine by unspoken agreement. During the day he varied his schedule, sharing his time between sparring in the desert to the north and meditating outside Khri's house. He kept odd hours except at night where he would patiently wait for the dawn out on her patio, listening for suspicious noises or watching for unnatural lights in the ocean. Storms at night were rare but he'd spent at least one in a comfortable corner of her living room.

When Sai had first suggested - no, pressured - Piccolo into accepting guard duty, he instantly regretted agreeing to such a thing. He spent the better part of the first night on the roof berating himself for his stupid decision and working up a long list of reasons to justify his anger. She'll start acting like a typical female, want me to tell her where I'm going, want to dictate my schedule, ask all sorts of nosy questions, and she'll interfere with my life!

He was wrong, on all counts.

Khri didn't admit she knew of the conspiracy, but Piccolo noticed the small favors she did him on a regular basis. Her rear windows were always open except during the fierce tropical storms that occasionally rolled in from the ocean. On those days he found the patio doors were left unlocked. He was free to come and go as he pleased without question and comment except for an occasional "see you later," or "don't let the delivery coming this afternoon disturb you." She made a point of making sure her refrigerator was well stocked with bottles of water for him. It wasn't as good as fresh water from a natural spring but it was always cold and in good supply. By the end of the first week he still couldn't figure out if she accommodated him out of guilt, gratitude, or just natural courtesy. The routine was becoming comfortable until one morning when Goten handed him a flyer just before their sparring session. He realized he'd made more than one mistake at Bulma's party. He took his temper out on Goten, who promised he'd 'train a lot harder' before he left, stumbling for home to nurse his bruises or take a senzu bean.

His first mistake had been a complete accident. He'd never intended to call Khri a 'kid,' and knew he'd screwed up instant it had slipped out. The look on Khri's face before she walked away told him it that a slap on her face would have been less of an insult. It took him a while to come up with an apology but before he could actually make it she surprised him again. She apologized to him for overreacting. I owe you one, kid, Piccolo admitted when he thought of Pan. It was after Trunks and Goten had snagged her for a dance that he made his second mistake. Vegeta, who was beating a hasty retreat from the loud music, had paused long enough to make a few snide remarks. They'd gotten into a loud argument which ended with both of them bruised and Piccolo agreeing to register for the next tournament. He cursed both Vegeta and himself for that bit of stupidity.

The World Tournaments of the past had been infrequent, brutal, and for serious warriors only. Thanks to all the publicity surrounding the Cell Games and Mr. Satan, smaller events had been cropping up that were more flash than fight. There was serious money to be made, the new promoters all bellowed, for any fighter willing to step up to the challenge. Security at Capsule Corporation kept the agents from harassing Vegeta. Goku, Gohan, Goten and Trunks had only gained celebrity status in their Super Saiyan forms so they were able to live relatively normal lives. Piccolo's lack of a permanent address had worked to his benefit, making any self-serving weasel go to extreme lengths to find him. The last one had ended up falling off a cliff trying to hand him a business card. He had rescued the idiot, only having to get angry and terrify the man into leaving him alone.

The upcoming tournament had been altered to 'appeal to a greater audience,' so the publicists claimed. What it really meant was that new gimmicks were being tested, including team fighting, to see how the public liked them before introducing them at the World Tournament itself. Individual style had to take a back seat in favor of 'working together,' a point which infuriated both Piccolo and Vegeta. Goten and Trunks, both of whom had already signed up, didn't seem to mind and were already sparring together. Goten thought his father might compete but wasn't sure the night of the party. Even though Goku's current obsession was getting Uub trained to help protect the Earth he hadn't completely abandoned his family; winning prize money went a long way towards keeping ChiChi's pans safely in the kitchen cupboard.

Piccolo's musings faded when the patio door opened and Khri walked outside. The female lived in thick sweaters in spite of the mild weather, but this one was deep indigo rather than her preferred black. Even the long, heavy robe she wore while eating breakfast each morning was black. He watched as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, brushing a strand of hair that had escaped her braid away from her face.

"It's about time you put down that damned computer of yours."

"I wasn't learning anything I didn't already know and decided I needed a break." Khri showed no sign of surprise at the sound of his voice as he walked onto the patio. Once again he'd failed to catch her off guard. The 'damned strange female,' as he thought of her in her most inscrutable moments, never acted in what he thought of as a feminine manner. In light of Bulma and ChiChi's past antics he appreciated that more than he wanted to admit. "I've been going back through all my research to try and find something, anything, that relates to what Dende told me about the Eudori. So far I'm coming up empty handed." She pinched the skin between her eyes and grimaced.

"You've been cooped up in this house too long," Piccolo snorted.

"That's why I'm out here," she said, looking up at him and smiling. "I needed some fresh air to clear my brain." Her smile faded as her gaze turned towards the ocean. "I still don't know why Sai and the techs are bringing down such a big computer, but I could use it right now. I'm hoping its got access to records I can't bring up on the slimpad."

Sai. I don't care what she says, he's a flunky if I ever saw one. Piccolo still couldn't pin down the reason why her Second got on his nerves, but just the sound of the man's voice grated on him. Sai was obviously possessive of Khri and resented the loss of unlimited access to her. It didn't take a genius to know he saw Piccolo as a threat, but it was one he seemed willing to tolerate if it kept his Battle Commander safe. Khri, however, seemed confident of her own abilities and did a good job of taking care of herself. If Sai had wanted to leave troops behind she probably would have refused. Piccolo reluctantly had to admit the redheaded officer had been right about one thing; Khri's safety was in question and they both took it seriously whether she did nor not.

"Since I'm taking a break," Khri said abruptly, "I've got a question for you."

There was a note in her tone that made Piccolo suddenly alert. "What?"

She closed the distance between them, her amber eyes staring into his own. "You can sense my shielding, can't you?"

He scowled to hide his discomfort. "What do you mean?"

The Battle Commander was back and she meant business. "Several times since my arrival I've felt something or someone shove at my natural shielding. When it happened the first time, at the Son house, I was half asleep and just assumed I'd been dreaming. The second time, at the hotel, I thought it might have come from a clumsy Tigradi spy. Now I believe I was wrong both times."

He raised one eye ridge. "What makes you think it was me?"

"Coincidence and a hunch. But there's an easy way to find out."

Curious, Piccolo decided to play along. "What did you have in mind?"

Motioning for him to follow, Khri walked down the little path that led to the beach. The early evening breeze was warm and humid, but there was a hint of grey on the horizon where a storm was building. "This should be easy," she said, instructing him to stay in one spot while she stepped out to the water's edge. "All I want you to do is count to ten, then turn in a slow circle with your eyes closed," she shouted above the noise of the surf. "Focus only in the direction you're facing. When you think you've sensed me, stop and open your eyes."

"What is this, some sort of game?"

"Just humor me!"

Damned, strange female, Piccolo cursed again. He understood what she was about to do and had to admit it was a clever way to get to the truth. He closed his eyes and began counting to himself, unable to hear her light footsteps in the sand over the roar of the surf. He waited the requested ten counts, then began to turn.

Piccolo was so accustomed to feeling for chi that intentionally focusing away from it proved tricky. The times he'd been able to find Khri had been successful only because he knew her location. This little game of hers was like trying to find Dr. Brief's black cat in a dark room at midnight during a new moon. "This is a waste of time," he growled, knowing he looked foolish and felt even more so. "There's got to be a better way to..."

Wait...There she is!

Keeping his eyes closed, Piccolo could both see and feel the darker shadow of Khri's shielding. The more he studied it, the more he realized it was spherical in shape and the surface rippled, not unlike motion of powering chi. He opened his eyes with a grunt, feeling the burn of a headache building behind them.

Khri was standing directly in front of him, having circled around towards the house. The cooling air around her shimmered but there was no visible sign of any shielding. "I thought so," she said in a mild voice that almost hid her tension. "I've got it powered so that anyone able to sense blackfire on this continent could find me ."

The headache was starting to get annoying. "Are we finished with this yet?"

"Almost. I'd like to try it three more times, lowering the power until its below sleep level. I'd like to know if you can still sense it if my shield is dampened."

Piccolo sighed, resisting the urge to rub his forehead. "Let's get this nonsense over with."

Every time Khri lowered the power on her shielding Piccolo was able to find her. The last time had been the most difficult; she'd dropped it below her natural sleeping level, 'a level we don't use unless we're deliberately trying to hide,' Khri explained. It had taken two turns and a lot of straining, which just made both his headache and his temper worse. "Are we finished here?"

Khri frowned in concern as she walked up to him. "I'm sorry, Piccolo," she said, considerate enough to keep her voice low. "If I had been wrong you wouldn't have a headache."

His head snapped up and he glared at her. "You mean you knew this would happen?" He immediately regretted shouting when his head throbbed painfully.

"I suspected it would. Come inside for a while. I've got something that should help you."

Doing his best to ignore the burning sensation inside his skull, Piccolo followed Khri back up the beach to the house. The grey haze on the horizon had churned itself into a pileup of black clouds, blotting out the sun well before dusk. Khri closed the patio door behind him, then closed all the temporary windows. So far they'd held up very well under turbulent weather, but Piccolo knew he'd feel better once they'd been replaced. He took a seat at the counter on one of the new bar stools and buried his head in his hands. The few small noises Khri made told him she had put a kettle on the stove and was preparing tea. He looked up when he heard her leave the kitchen. She quickly returned, carrying a flat black box.

Piccolo watched as Khri set the box on the counter and pried off the lid. Inside was an assortment of small vials, boxes, capsules and packages of what appeared to be tape. "Standard issue safety and emergency triage kit," she explained quietly. She found a clear package containing two small tablets. "These are safe for Nameks and don't have any side effects. They should start to work in about five minutes. Just swallow them whole." She nipped open the package with her fangs, handed him the pills and got a bottle of water from the refrigerator.

"These aren't necessary," he growled, then winced when his own voice sent a fresh spike of pain through his head. His weighted turban was starting to feel unusually heavy.

"They certainly are. You've got a nasty barrier headache." She poured the water into a glass and set it down in front of him on the counter. "Those tabs will take care of it quickly and won't hurt you." To his surprise, Khri reached out and gently folded his fingers around the pills. "I've had to trust you. I think you could return the favor at least once, especially since its to your benefit."

Piccolo squinted at her through the pain. Her expression was neither demanding, pleading nor challenging; she simply watched him calmly. He opened his fist and looked down at the tablets. He'd never taken drugs or chemicals of any kind, preferring to let his natural healing ability handle any bumps, scrapes and the occasional limb regeneration. He didn't know what a 'barrier headache' was, but if Khri was correct, now might be a good time do things her way. "Thanks," he muttered. He downed the pills, chasing them with the entire glass of water.

Khri nodded in satisfaction, then turned back to the task of warming the teapot. Sai had warned Piccolo about her cooking but she'd demonstrated she could make tea without setting the house on fire. By the time she poured it into two cups - another new purchase - his headache had disappeared.

"What the hell is a barrier headache?" he asked, sighing with relief and accepting the tea.

Khri circled the counter and sat on another stool beside him. "I don't know if you sensed it, but there's a natural wall, a 'barrier' of sorts, that separates chi from blackfire. Barrier headaches flare up when a blackfire user focuses on a known, powerful chi source and starts poking it to see if they can sense it. The same is true for chi users, as you just found out; prodding at a blackfire shield on high power can give you a very bad headache. We're not sure how the separation came about, but it definitely serves a purpose. Do you remember what happened the night I arrived when Vegeta's chi blast caught mine?"

"I do. The explosion was far too big to have resulted from such low-power attacks."

"That's what happens when blackfire and chi mix. Its noisy, unpredictable and very destructive." She looked directly at him, nose wrinkling in puzzlement. "What I would like to know is how you gained the ability to sense my shielding. Did you get a headache when you first started poking at me?"

Piccolo thought hard. He'd been more than a little stressed the night he spent outside Goku's house, but he didn't remember getting a burning sensation from seeing if he could sense chi from her then. "No. I didn't get one after I'd left your hotel, either."

Khri was silent for a moment. "When I'm asleep, my shielding has a very low power level. When I asked you to look for it the first time, the level was pretty high. Once you found it, I think the backlash was strong enough to spike the headache. The other times just aggravated it."

"Well, its gone now. I wouldn't want to put up with that too often."

"That still doesn't answer the question." Khri leaned on the counter and wrapped her hands around the cooling cup. She suddenly pulled her left one back, tucking her arm under her rib cage. "I've never encountered a chi user who could sense blackfire. I've never heard of it happening. How are you able to do this?"

"I wouldn't know. I didn't know blackfire even existed until you showed up."

The approaching rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning snapped Khri out of her latest thoughtful silence. She gave her head a little shake and left her stool. "Well, you've probably had enough of my questions for the day, so I'll hold them until later. I guess its just something else to add to my research list," she sighed, retrieving her slimpad and stylus from the table where she'd left it earlier.

I guess I owe her this, Piccolo thought as he stood up. "You'll have plenty of time for that over the next three days."

Khri paused, arching an eyebrow at him. "Oh?"

"I've signed up to compete in the next martial arts tournament which starts in about six weeks. I'll be spending the next few days and nights with Vegeta, Trunks and Goten so we can get this stupid team routine worked out. After that I'll be gone two or three days a week until the damn thing actually happens."

Her eyes sparkled and her grin was unashamedly wicked. "You mean you're going to miss out on Sai's visit? He'll be so disappointed!"

"What? Don't tell me that bastard's changed the time again!"

"He has, but its sooner rather than later. He and the tech team will be arriving the day after tomorrow. In all probability you'll still be off sparring so your paths don't have to cross." She set the slimpad on the counter and under her breath added, "and I won't have to break up a fight."

He pretended not to hear her last remark. "I'll be leaving before dawn tomorrow. I...will be checking on you from time to time, but it will probably be late at night."

Khri picked up the empty cups and set them in the sink. "I'm sure Sai will be relieved to know that," she said as she rinsed the dishes. Drying her hands on a small towel, Piccolo watched her peer through the window over the sink. Torrents of rain streamed down the window and lightning briefly illuminated the shaking trees outside. It hadn't taken long in the tropics to notice the storms usually blew themselves out in less than an hour, leaving the air clean and comfortably cool. "If anything does happen, I'll call Gohan and he can contact you. Agreed?"

"Humph. Agreed." He couldn't hold back a tight smile.

Khri yawned and picked her slimpad up again. "I'm going to finish up a DNA model and then I need some sleep. There is some preliminary work I have to do before Sai shows up, so I'll be busy until then." She turned away and headed towards the bedrooms but stopped long enough to look at him over her shoulder. "I'll see you when I see you, Namek. Good night, and be sure to pound Vegeta for me. Nicely, of course."

Piccolo chuckled to himself. "When I'm done having fun, I'll make sure I leave a few bruises for you."

Watching her disappear down the hall, Piccolo listened to the patter of the slowing rain and the fading thunder. He shook his head in amusement before switching off the kitchen light. She's a damned strange female...but I think I prefer it that way.

It was two days later and long past midnight when Piccolo returned to Khri's house.

A rare late night thunderstorm had crawled its way up the coast, bringing buckets of rain with it. Piccolo snarled up at the latest burst of lightning and got an earful of thunder in reply. He was soaking wet and absolutely furious, but he preferred the storm over clear, starry skies. It was a better outlet for his temper.

Sparring with Goten and Trunks had been almost a complete waste of time. Their antics and refusal to take things seriously reminded him of the frustrating days he'd spent trying to teach them the Fusion technique. Vegeta had finally lost his temper and the two of them literally pounded the boys; only the threat of Bulma and ChiChi's screeching in anger at the sight of their bruised and bloodied sons stopped them. I don't know why I'm even bothering with this, Piccolo fumed. He didn't want the money and certainly wanted no part of the publicity. The last time he'd made a spectacle of himself he'd been forced to "fight" Kuririn, if the term fight could be used at all. He'd thrown the short human back into the ring to and left the tournament in total disgust.

Piccolo rubbed his aching shoulder as he walked up the beach towards the patio, feeling rainwater trickle down the back of his cloak and under his gi. He had to admit the workout had been a good one once the boys had some sense knocked into them. His body felt calm and relaxed, if a bit tender in a few places still waiting to rejuvenate. He reached for the door handle and froze. He wasn't supposed to be back for at least three more days! What if Khri had locked the door? He shrugged and tried the handle; he'd easily survived far worse weather. The door swung quietly open. I don't know whether to be angry with her or not, he thought as he let himself in, careful to make sure the door didn't make a loud noise when he closed it. He paused long enough for a quick "chi-dry," then listened for familiar sounds that indicated all was well. The plumbing gurgled, the refrigerator hummed and the rain continued to pelt the windows. Satisfied, he headed for the kitchen in the dark.

He opened the refrigerator and scowled at Khri's inattention to her own needs. There was a bit of fruit, a carton of juice and what looked like leftover sushi in a clear wrapper, but that was it. A Saiyan would starve to death if she did the shopping. The aging beer was still on the top shelf, having been pushed to the far corner by the parade of water bottles reflecting light from the single bulb. He took one and made his way back to the living room. His adopted corner let him see both into the kitchen and out the patio doors without turning his head. One of the big windows had been left open a crack just wide enough to let in the sounds and scents of the storm without the rain. It was one of the reasons Piccolo actually liked didn't mind being inside Khri's house. Even when confined indoors you were still able to hear the surf and enjoy the sweet tropical breezes the ocean brought in. He had settled into his favorite meditation position and raised the bottle to his lips when he heard a different sound, this one coming from inside the house.

Piccolo lowered the bottle, setting it on a small table nearby and listened again. The sound was coming from down the hall and most likely from Khri's bedroom. There weren't any bumps or thuds or crashes that might indicate trouble, just a soft rustling followed by the opening of a door.

In the weeks he'd been playing bodyguard he couldn't remember one time that Khri had woke in the middle of the night. There were nights she stayed up late to work on her projects, but once the hall light turned off he knew he wouldn't see her until morning. Did I wake her up when I came in? He'd taken care to be perfectly silent coming into the house, just as he always was when coming in late. He was mildly surprised when he heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. He was about to apologize for waking her up when he stopped himself short.

Khri padded barefoot into the kitchen still half asleep, one glowing eye opened further than the other. His eyes followed her in the dim light as she walked over to the refrigerator. Was she actually going for a midnight snack? That sort of behavior was common at both Vegeta and Goku's houses; even Gohan had a Saiyan appetite to sate. Khri, however, always acted like eating was an inconvenience.

Piccolo swallowed when she opened the door. She didn't expect me to come back early!

The light from the fridge, reflected through the fleet of water bottles, showed Khri hadn't bothered with her robe. She wore a pair of black, low cut underwear and a short baggy tank top that did nothing to cover the tawny skin between the two. Piccolo froze and tightly controlled his breathing. He understood her well enough to know that if Khri saw him now she'd be very embarrassed. Wishing to respect her pride, he decided to take a chance and let her think she was alone in the house.

When she bent slightly to peer into the fridge a lock of unbraided hair fell over her shoulder, curling past her waist and over her thigh. Piccolo smiled when she rubbed her eyes and yawned, showing all four fangs; she looked more like a sleepy tabby kitten than a seasoned warrior. He was so accustomed to seeing her covered from the neck down in her heavy black uniform or bulky sweaters that her lean, muscular build surprised him. Her long legs tapered up to slim, gently curved hips and a narrow waist, but her ribcage was larger and her shoulders a bit more broad than most human females. Khri finally settled on a bottle of water herself. When she raised her arm to take a drink, her loose top pulled up to reveal the soft lower curve of her breast. Piccolo shut his eyes, feeling his face heat up with embarrassment of his own. I'm acting like Roshi! he thought in disgust, keeping his eyes closed and gritting his teeth. He heard the refrigerator door close and Khri's footsteps retreat down the hall.

With a long sigh, Piccolo finally opened his eyes. I don't know why I should feel embarrassed about seeing Khri...that way...its not as if I could be interested in her the way human males would be. He thought about it a long while but could only come up with two good reasons why seeing her in so little clothing would make him to feel so confused. The first had to do with the grudging respect he felt towards this alien female. She'd been a fighter longer than he had been alive, and seeing her stripped - literally - of her uniform gave her a vulnerability and softness that warred with what he knew about her. The second reason was simple aesthetics. Khri was pleasant to look at, just as the sounds of water were soothing to hear and a good sparring session was both exciting and relaxing to his body. Aesthetics, he confirmed to himself again. He tucked the memory of Khri's kitchen visit in the back of his mind and returned to meditating when an uncomfortable thought intruded.

Am I going to be able to face her in the morning?

To Be Continued...

AN: This WILL come back to haunt them. TRUST me.

AceOfAuthors: ::wink wink:: (laughing)

Dreamwraith: This story deposited itself in my head over the course of three days the end of April, 2004. I wouldn't mind except when this happens I don't eat, I get a headache and wander around the house like a brain-dead zombie for at least a week! Fortunately this doesn't happen too often. I had the beginning, much of the middle and most of the end, and the next month was spent ironing out the wrinkles and figuring out what worked and what didn't. I wrote "One Good Deed" the week of June 20th and started the first chapter of "Errant Exile" the following week. As for the video? That is how I see it. There are times when wrangling it out of the digital film in my head into readable version gets tricky, but its very good to know I'm managing it to some degree :)

Clarinet: I'm glad you enjoyed the "One Good Deed." The more I think about it, the more that fanfic foreshadows what's happening in "Errant Exile." I'm spending so much time on what could be labeled "just a fanfic" because it's a good stretch for me. Its been a great writing exercise so far, and I'm determined to see it through to the end and not be lazy. It is going to be pretty long, but I'm doing all I can to make it worth the read. Hope you'll stick with me! :)