Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Forced Beginnings - Black Flowers ❯ Old Habits ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Klara in flares 
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Mystery / Hentai / Drama / Angst / Action / Sci-fi | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.03.2002 | Updated On: 06.24.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Mystery / Hentai / Drama / Angst / Action / Sci-fi | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.03.2002 | Updated On: 06.24.2003 | Pages: 3 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Completed
'http://groups.msn.com/HerebeBlackFlowersOnline', a marvellous place, with lots of marvellous people. Join today!!
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Cadell - Trunks and Pan
Tristian - Goten and Pan
Arienne - Vegeta and Pan
Eira - Goten and Bra
Rayne - Goku and Bra
Rhiamon - Gohan and Bra
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Black Flowers - Klara_in_flares
Black Flowers ; chapter 14, 'Old Habits'
"Rhiamon. Hey man, where ya been?"
Rhiamon turned at the voice. A figure stepped out of the darkened shadow of the Corp. Tristian approached his part-sibling casually. He threw his head back to look up at the immense velvet night above them. "Sure is a beautiful view from down here." He paused. "Not as good as from the ship though, huh?"
Rhiamon frowned. "No, you're right. But the quality of scenery wasn't exactly a concern."
"…They're coming, aren't they?" Tristian asked suddenly, his confident air wavering for a moment.
Rhiamon seemed to assess the darkness above him. "Yeah…" He answered. "We can't run forever. I don't like being here. We're meant to be protecting our parents. And we're putting them in more danger than they can imagine."
"We are protecting them." Tristian counteracted firmly. "In our time, they were unprepared. We can change that! We can fight by their side."
"They'll be killed if they fight."
Cadell stepped out of the shadows as Tristian had done, making the other two jump. "We've been slacking since we've been here." He growled, but his annoyance seemed to be inwardly directed. "Look at us. None of us have trained since we've been here. It's like some infuriating summer camp!"
Rhiamon and Tristian were silent in agreement. "I guess… being here. It's been unreal. Like a dream." Rhiamon admitted. "Actually meeting our parents. Knowing where we came from. It makes the battles ahead seem so dreamlike."
"We can't afford to be in that state." Cadell growled. "We can't lose our guard here. We have to be prepared for whatever may be on its way." He glanced up to the darkened windows of the Corp. "How can they all sleep so complacently?" he snapped.
"I doubt they fully realize the extent of the situation." Tristian suggested.
Cadell gritted his teeth. "Then they'll have to be more greatly informed." He snapped irritably. He composed himself. "Tomorrow, we all train. We'll wake the girls in a few hours. Get some sleep while you can." He ordered.
Rhiamon and Tristian straightened out of old habits. "Sir." They answered smartly as Cadell disappeared into the shadows once again.
__*__
Arienne blinked in the sudden light that flooded her room. She opened her eyes with difficulty, adjusting to the light. Rhiamon was stood by her bedside, all suited up in the familiar black training gi. But this gi was plain. For they had not fought under the black flowers army symbol since their escape.
Rhiamon wrapped his arm bandages around his wrists as he spoke.
"Up." He said simply. "Training begins in 5 minutes."
Arienne was startled, but obediently rose from her bed. Rhiamon left the room again.
The other two girls were awoken the same. Eira was the last to be ready, and she met the others in the hallway outside the rooms. She rubbed her eye sleepily.
"It's too early." She complained. Rhiamon gave her hair a ruffle as a compensation.
The youths were uniform in their gi's. Cadell took a critical glance over them. When he moved off, they all followed. They passed a sleepy Trunks as he made his way to the bathroom. He blinked with surprise. He squinted at his watch, pressing the glow in the dark feature to read the digital time.
"4am?" he muttered to himself. He paused in thought.
The youths reached the internal gravity room building. Rhiamon pushed in the code and they all stepped into the chamber.
__*__
Videl wrapped her robe tighter around herself as she followed the others. "It's far too early to train!" She exclaimed. Vegeta and the other fighters didn't slow as they headed for the gravity rooms.
"I want to see the brats fight." Vegeta said gruffly in response, having been woken by his son.
Bulma let them into the observation room control panels. "They're in gravity room 1." She said sleepily, mid yawn. She typed the code for the first observation room, and the gang trooped in. Pan peered through the glass to the gravity room floor. The observation room they were in was directly connected to the room, and allowed you to watch the room's activities safely. Bra nervously looked down too. "They all look so serious." She said.
Gohan sat at the control panel, and began setting the controls and adjusting the imaging system. Videl padded up behind him in her soft pink slippers and matching dressing gown. She put her arms affectionately around her husband's neck as he worked. The rest of the gang watched out of the windowed panels.
Cadell glance upwards, feeling the power levels. He didn't react nor comment on the sudden curious audience. He had half expected it. He glanced around the other youths. His eyes fell on Arienne. "I want you to fight with me." He announced, singling her out.
Arienne nodded, and quickly completed a few stretches to warm up as Cadell prepared. The other youths moved back as the two faced each other.
"Which level?" Arienne asked.
Cadell mused this. "Level 2." An aura suddenly appeared over the two youths as they increased their power levels.
"Increasing power levels detected. Auto training simulation activated. 10g, 20g, 30g, 50g, 100g…" The system voice rang out.
Arienne and Cadell suddenly exploded with energy as their hair flashed brilliant gold, temporarily blinding the spectators with the force. Goten shielded his eyes from the glare. "They're going level 2!" He projected his voice over the noise.
Pan gave a little shriek as the ground beneath them trembled with the force and she stumbled. She was caught by a pair of arms, and blushed when she realized Trunks had been the one to catch her. Everyone's attention was now fixed on the battle before them. From the smoke stood the two Super Saiyans. But their attention wasn't on Cadell, but on Arienne.
"A female Super Saiyan." Vegeta said almost in disbelief.
Arienne stood in a proud stance, head up and her now brilliant turquoise eyes transfixed on her opponent with determination. Her long golden hair was spiked and wild around her face. Waves of the golden energy lapped her body, and her slender muscles trembled in anticipation of the fight. Pan stepped from Trunks' hold and gazed with wonder. The first female she had seen become a Super Saiyan was her own daughter… It seemed so unreal. A strange feeling swirled within the Saiyan males of the group. Each felt a deep attraction and wonder to her, but none went beyond that, as they all shared her bloodline.
Arienne screamed, as she seemed to disappear with speed. She reappeared behind Cadell in an attack. Cadell spun nimbly and blocked, going to defense. He spun his torso around in a roundhouse kick, catching the female Saiyan on her side. She raised her power before she hit the wall, and bounced back once again in an attack. The gang watched with amazement at the skill they fought with. Their movements were well trained and were almost a planned calculation. The battle raged on, both youths' deep concentration as they fought each other. However, there was a coldness... a viciousness in the battle that sent shivers up the spines of the spectators. It seemed neither youth could gain the upper hand. It was when Cadell caught Arienne off guard in her attack that he gained the upper hand, and they watched in silence as Arienne was tossed around mercilessly. Each time she struggled up, shaking and each time covered in more wounds. Her face was angered and void of any form of surrender. Finally, Cadell landed an uppercut that sent Arienne upwards with a choked scream. She landed on the floor of the gravity room. It seemed in slow motion, her energy leaving her as she crumpled to the ground like a rag doll. To the gang watching, it seemed obvious who had won. It seemed the match was over.
No one expected it as Arienne suddenly moved again, slowly. Cadell's eyes transfixed on the fallen form. The female Saiyan slowly pulled herself up, her blood dripping to the floor from her injuries. Cadell himself was severely injured himself and his breathing was deep and ragged. The flames of energy once again enveloped Arienne as she struggled and strained through her injuries to stand once again. The effort it must have taken her looked unimaginable. Cadell moved back and back into fighting stance as his opponent once again stood her ground. He was fully prepared as she powered back up and attacked again. He blocked her flurry of punches, but was unprepared as she disappeared and caught the male in a vicious kick to his neck. Cadell fell this time. He struggled to his hands and knees almost immediately, his arms trembling as they held him up. He hissed with pain as he dragged himself to his knees. Blood was gushing from a wound to his jaw. He attempted to get to his feet again, but swayed dangerously and fell to his knees once again, full of exhaustion. He dizzily watched as Arienne approached him.
The gang watching slowly began to relax, seeing the battle over. "That match was unbelievable." Trunks breathed, glancing away.
"Dude, I know! I can't believe it was training!" Goten replied.
Vegeta was the only one with his eyes still transfixed on the youths as the gang broke out in excited chatter. Arienne stopped before her beaten opponent. Cadell was gasping for his very breath, choked with blood. His muscles trembled violently in spasms. He looked up to meet Arienne's cold eyes.
The sound of the blow rang out through the now silent room. The chatter stopped abruptly, everyone snapping their gaze toward the sound. The echo rang out through the emptiness and the silence. Everyone's eyes widened in terror as they gazed at Cadell's crumpled form, a pool of blood forming around his now still body. He was laid away from his original position, and Arienne slowly lowered her fist.
Goten swore loudly. Bulma screamed over and over again. Gohan leapt up from his chair and Videl stumbled behind him. He ran to the doors, running out and into the main fighting chamber. He didn't stop until he had reached the fallen Saiyan youth.
Trunks didn't move. "She finished him..." he said in disbelief.
Gohan fell to his knees, Pan behind him. He carefully pressed his fingers to the youths neck, searching for any vital signs of life. Anything.
Arienne powered down slowly, her black hair falling once again past her shoulders, her black eyes returning.
"Gravity decreasing." The system voice announced, sensing the high power levels disappearing. "Simulation terminating."
"He's alive." Gohan announced with relief. "He needs medical attention, now!" He paused momentarily, meeting his granddaughters' gaze. He was shocked by the complacence in her eyes. Her face showed no concern, no remorse… nothing. Without a word, she spun away from the crowd that had gathered around Cadell's injured form and left the chamber. Gohan darted his eyes to look at the other youths, and found the same in their eyes. They were... were empty, their faces complacent. Gohan watched as Cadell was lifted by Vegeta and Goku under Bulma's strict instructions. He stood as his grandson was hurried to the medical ward. He faced the youths, his arms folded. "What the hell is going on?" He demanded. ""He's in a critical condition! How can you stand by like this? I thought you possessed a closer bond than this!"
Gohan stepped closer. "She nearly killed him." He growled angrily.
Rhiamon was the first to speak. "I know." He said. His voice just as empty as his eyes. "He was too distracted. That is dangerous for a soldier of his status. He's lucky he wasn't killed."
Goten spun his head to gaze at them all. His face was pained, the natural innocence of his character challenged by the scene before him. "Don't you care? I thought you guys really looked out for each other…?"
Rayne closed her eyes, her head down and her arms folded. "We do care... more than anything." She reassured firmly. "But this isn't a game. We play hard. There isn't any other way." Still hiding her face, she pushed past out of the room.
__*__
"What's taking so long?" Bra huffed. She whirled to once again peer through the small window on the medical lab door. Without her heels she was annoyingly short, having inherited her father's petit height.
Goten leant against the closed doorframe worriedly. "I hope he's going to be ok, man." He said. Yamacha nodded.
"It's a rough deal. It must be Vegeta's genes." He exclaimed. "She's like…vicious!" He yelped with confusion as Pan suddenly elbowed him in the ribs.
They all fell silent as Arienne appeared in the hallway. She was still dressed in the black fighting gi slacks, but had loosened them so that they hung low on her hips. She wore a small black under vest and her hair was scooped in a high ponytail and long midnight black plait. It swung right down at her hips as she walked through the middle of their accusing stares. She gently lifted herself on her tiptoes to gaze through the window into the lab. Her face was like a child, her small hands nervously gripping the window ledge.
Her long fringe gently fell over her large black eyes as she stretched to see through the observation window of the large medical bay. Her tight full body suit covered all of her young slender frame apart from the stark white Saiyan boots she wore. Her choppy shoulder length hair flicked as she nervously stayed on her guard from passing by soldiers. Her seemingly too long tail nervously swayed, ever hair on edge. Her eyes quickly looked worriedly at her brother's form in the regeneration tank. He had lost… taken off guard by Pepper's speed tactics. The young teenager had found himself out of his depth and quickly ripped to pieces by the arrogant soldier. Cadell's status was critical. But the technology on the ship were far used to such cases. Two weeks they had calculated. Only a couple of scars he would carry from this battle, the rest of the wounds would heal fine. But the experience and pain he would carry for a lifetime…
"It was a good battle."
Arienne was startled. Rhiamon nodded to her. "You fought well." He complimented solemnly. His gaze wandered to the tank inside the room. "He's been in many situations worse than this." He reminded her realistically.
Gohan frowned deeply. Just how many sitauations had he had to be like this? Had each of them had to go through? "That was a little too extreme for it only being training." He projected.
"Training isn't playing around. It's survival." Rhiamon countered. "Losing in training shared the same defeat as a real battle, and we treat it as such."
"Is this how they trained you back there?" Gohan asked solemnly.
Rhiamon met his father's accusing eyes. "It has made us stronger. It is a discipline." He said coldly.
"A discipline? Being left so critically injured at such young ages?" Gohan snorted with distaste. Inside, his heart was wrenching as it all began to fall into place from the broken pieces of information from each youth. The youths didn't respond to him. Even Rhiamon's face seemed to be masked with complacence now. An avoidance. For now.
Rhiamon smirked softly as he gazed once more through the window into the room. "He'll pull through just fine." He said confidentially. He pushed away from the wall and strode down the hallway. Goten gently led a saddened Bra away too.
Vegeta stared at the door deep in thought. He gave a huffed snort. His son's offspring no less! His eyes darted to the girl he had fathered himself. Arienne felt his eyes on her, and silently moved off to follow Rhiamon down the stark corridor. Her power level was naturally kept hidden, but it's potential was unmissable. Unlike Cadell's. Polluted by his son's human genes. Trunks had always been far too human, and now in his offspring, it was apparent it had continued through the bloodline. On the other hand, his daughter had been his child with Gohan's brat. The mixture of blood had been an interesting aspect of the battle…
Bulma opened the lab door sharply and stepped out, wiping her brow with her arm. "It's crazy in there." She breathed. "Daddy's looking after the tank controls." Vegeta gave her a dismissive snort. Bulma fumed silently. "Are you just going to stand staring at the door all day? Or do you plan to actually help for once in your god-damned life?" She snapped irritably at him.
"Maybe if I had been able to mix my bloodline with a Saiyan female instead of a baka earthling in the first place… this situation would not have arose!" Vegeta snapped viciously and arrogantly.
Bulma was speechless. "How dare you say that! Because I'm fully human doesn't mean I'm a lower species! Anyway…you've stayed with me all this time." She reminded him smugly.
Vegeta growled. "If I hadn't had to wait so long for a Saiyan female to be born, I wouldn't have put up with your incised nagging!" he yelled back at her. "You can see the difference yourself in the child Gohan's brat produced me, unlike your weak offspring!"
Gohan and Pan both snapped their gaze to the Prince with horror at his words.
Bulma froze, her hand slowly moving up to her mouth with shock. "Vegeta…" She whispered. Her voice sounded pained, but her fiery features soon turned to anger. Without a word, she walked right up to his face, and slapped her hand across his cold features. "That's all you care about! Your dying race! You can't save it Vegeta! It's gone!" She yelled at him. "If that's how little you value our relationship, then fine! Go fucking 'mate' with your own damn monkey species! …It's over!"
Her final words rang through the halls of the Corp. This wasn't just another argument… He had gone too far this time. Bulma was defiant, panting slightly from the force of her words. If you looked closely, you could see the tears she so desperately tried to hide. The atmosphere was thick with the seriousness of the confrontation. Without warning, Bulma suddenly ran from the scene, choking back sobs. Trunks glared at his father, full disbelief on his face. He hesitated, then ran to follow his fleeing mother, valuing her well being for now above all else. Vegeta gave another irritated snort. His dark eyes suddenly flickered to meet Pan's. Her's were wide and disbelieving too. She gently took a step backwards under the weight of his gaze. Gohan caught her by the shoulders comfortingly as Vegeta brushed past them in the opposite direction to where Bulma had gone. Everyone was silent. Pan was aware she was trembling lightly.
"Did I do this?" She choked out. Her face looked worried and shocked. "It was me… It's all because of me!"
Gohan pulled her into his arms, and she clung to her father's shirt. He stroked her hair soothingly. "Pan… don't ever believe that. You were not born to save a dying race. You were born from my Saiyan blood, out of love between me and your mother." He soothed. "You are more than a lost heritage. It is always part of who you are, your soul… but never to be abused in such a way as that. No one can decide your destiny like that. Not in this timeline. We can stop all of this happening, don't you see?"
"That's all we were, wasn't it?" Pan said weakly. "They wanted us for our bloodline. Because we were the last two Saiyan females. It didn't matter what we thought or felt, did it…?" She questioned emptily.
"We will stop this. I swear."
They turned to see Rhiamon there. Rayne nodded in agreement. "We will do everything in our power to ensure our timeline will not be repeated." She said firmly.
The silence was broken by shrill voices approaching. "Hey guys, look who's here!" Bra said cheerfully, dragging her friend along with her, unaware of her parent's dispute. The two girls stopped by the gang, and they all greeted them. The blonde girl smiled, her eyes gazing around the group.
Rhiamon froze, as his dark eyes met the blonde's crystal blue ones. Each held surprise and disbelief at each other's presence.
"Rhiamon…?"
"Marron…?"
__*__
Cadell - Trunks and Pan
Tristian - Goten and Pan
Arienne - Vegeta and Pan
Eira - Goten and Bra
Rayne - Goku and Bra
Rhiamon - Gohan and Bra
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Black Flowers - Klara_in_flares
Black Flowers ; chapter 14, 'Old Habits'
"Rhiamon. Hey man, where ya been?"
Rhiamon turned at the voice. A figure stepped out of the darkened shadow of the Corp. Tristian approached his part-sibling casually. He threw his head back to look up at the immense velvet night above them. "Sure is a beautiful view from down here." He paused. "Not as good as from the ship though, huh?"
Rhiamon frowned. "No, you're right. But the quality of scenery wasn't exactly a concern."
"…They're coming, aren't they?" Tristian asked suddenly, his confident air wavering for a moment.
Rhiamon seemed to assess the darkness above him. "Yeah…" He answered. "We can't run forever. I don't like being here. We're meant to be protecting our parents. And we're putting them in more danger than they can imagine."
"We are protecting them." Tristian counteracted firmly. "In our time, they were unprepared. We can change that! We can fight by their side."
"They'll be killed if they fight."
Cadell stepped out of the shadows as Tristian had done, making the other two jump. "We've been slacking since we've been here." He growled, but his annoyance seemed to be inwardly directed. "Look at us. None of us have trained since we've been here. It's like some infuriating summer camp!"
Rhiamon and Tristian were silent in agreement. "I guess… being here. It's been unreal. Like a dream." Rhiamon admitted. "Actually meeting our parents. Knowing where we came from. It makes the battles ahead seem so dreamlike."
"We can't afford to be in that state." Cadell growled. "We can't lose our guard here. We have to be prepared for whatever may be on its way." He glanced up to the darkened windows of the Corp. "How can they all sleep so complacently?" he snapped.
"I doubt they fully realize the extent of the situation." Tristian suggested.
Cadell gritted his teeth. "Then they'll have to be more greatly informed." He snapped irritably. He composed himself. "Tomorrow, we all train. We'll wake the girls in a few hours. Get some sleep while you can." He ordered.
Rhiamon and Tristian straightened out of old habits. "Sir." They answered smartly as Cadell disappeared into the shadows once again.
__*__
Arienne blinked in the sudden light that flooded her room. She opened her eyes with difficulty, adjusting to the light. Rhiamon was stood by her bedside, all suited up in the familiar black training gi. But this gi was plain. For they had not fought under the black flowers army symbol since their escape.
Rhiamon wrapped his arm bandages around his wrists as he spoke.
"Up." He said simply. "Training begins in 5 minutes."
Arienne was startled, but obediently rose from her bed. Rhiamon left the room again.
The other two girls were awoken the same. Eira was the last to be ready, and she met the others in the hallway outside the rooms. She rubbed her eye sleepily.
"It's too early." She complained. Rhiamon gave her hair a ruffle as a compensation.
The youths were uniform in their gi's. Cadell took a critical glance over them. When he moved off, they all followed. They passed a sleepy Trunks as he made his way to the bathroom. He blinked with surprise. He squinted at his watch, pressing the glow in the dark feature to read the digital time.
"4am?" he muttered to himself. He paused in thought.
The youths reached the internal gravity room building. Rhiamon pushed in the code and they all stepped into the chamber.
__*__
Videl wrapped her robe tighter around herself as she followed the others. "It's far too early to train!" She exclaimed. Vegeta and the other fighters didn't slow as they headed for the gravity rooms.
"I want to see the brats fight." Vegeta said gruffly in response, having been woken by his son.
Bulma let them into the observation room control panels. "They're in gravity room 1." She said sleepily, mid yawn. She typed the code for the first observation room, and the gang trooped in. Pan peered through the glass to the gravity room floor. The observation room they were in was directly connected to the room, and allowed you to watch the room's activities safely. Bra nervously looked down too. "They all look so serious." She said.
Gohan sat at the control panel, and began setting the controls and adjusting the imaging system. Videl padded up behind him in her soft pink slippers and matching dressing gown. She put her arms affectionately around her husband's neck as he worked. The rest of the gang watched out of the windowed panels.
Cadell glance upwards, feeling the power levels. He didn't react nor comment on the sudden curious audience. He had half expected it. He glanced around the other youths. His eyes fell on Arienne. "I want you to fight with me." He announced, singling her out.
Arienne nodded, and quickly completed a few stretches to warm up as Cadell prepared. The other youths moved back as the two faced each other.
"Which level?" Arienne asked.
Cadell mused this. "Level 2." An aura suddenly appeared over the two youths as they increased their power levels.
"Increasing power levels detected. Auto training simulation activated. 10g, 20g, 30g, 50g, 100g…" The system voice rang out.
Arienne and Cadell suddenly exploded with energy as their hair flashed brilliant gold, temporarily blinding the spectators with the force. Goten shielded his eyes from the glare. "They're going level 2!" He projected his voice over the noise.
Pan gave a little shriek as the ground beneath them trembled with the force and she stumbled. She was caught by a pair of arms, and blushed when she realized Trunks had been the one to catch her. Everyone's attention was now fixed on the battle before them. From the smoke stood the two Super Saiyans. But their attention wasn't on Cadell, but on Arienne.
"A female Super Saiyan." Vegeta said almost in disbelief.
Arienne stood in a proud stance, head up and her now brilliant turquoise eyes transfixed on her opponent with determination. Her long golden hair was spiked and wild around her face. Waves of the golden energy lapped her body, and her slender muscles trembled in anticipation of the fight. Pan stepped from Trunks' hold and gazed with wonder. The first female she had seen become a Super Saiyan was her own daughter… It seemed so unreal. A strange feeling swirled within the Saiyan males of the group. Each felt a deep attraction and wonder to her, but none went beyond that, as they all shared her bloodline.
Arienne screamed, as she seemed to disappear with speed. She reappeared behind Cadell in an attack. Cadell spun nimbly and blocked, going to defense. He spun his torso around in a roundhouse kick, catching the female Saiyan on her side. She raised her power before she hit the wall, and bounced back once again in an attack. The gang watched with amazement at the skill they fought with. Their movements were well trained and were almost a planned calculation. The battle raged on, both youths' deep concentration as they fought each other. However, there was a coldness... a viciousness in the battle that sent shivers up the spines of the spectators. It seemed neither youth could gain the upper hand. It was when Cadell caught Arienne off guard in her attack that he gained the upper hand, and they watched in silence as Arienne was tossed around mercilessly. Each time she struggled up, shaking and each time covered in more wounds. Her face was angered and void of any form of surrender. Finally, Cadell landed an uppercut that sent Arienne upwards with a choked scream. She landed on the floor of the gravity room. It seemed in slow motion, her energy leaving her as she crumpled to the ground like a rag doll. To the gang watching, it seemed obvious who had won. It seemed the match was over.
No one expected it as Arienne suddenly moved again, slowly. Cadell's eyes transfixed on the fallen form. The female Saiyan slowly pulled herself up, her blood dripping to the floor from her injuries. Cadell himself was severely injured himself and his breathing was deep and ragged. The flames of energy once again enveloped Arienne as she struggled and strained through her injuries to stand once again. The effort it must have taken her looked unimaginable. Cadell moved back and back into fighting stance as his opponent once again stood her ground. He was fully prepared as she powered back up and attacked again. He blocked her flurry of punches, but was unprepared as she disappeared and caught the male in a vicious kick to his neck. Cadell fell this time. He struggled to his hands and knees almost immediately, his arms trembling as they held him up. He hissed with pain as he dragged himself to his knees. Blood was gushing from a wound to his jaw. He attempted to get to his feet again, but swayed dangerously and fell to his knees once again, full of exhaustion. He dizzily watched as Arienne approached him.
The gang watching slowly began to relax, seeing the battle over. "That match was unbelievable." Trunks breathed, glancing away.
"Dude, I know! I can't believe it was training!" Goten replied.
Vegeta was the only one with his eyes still transfixed on the youths as the gang broke out in excited chatter. Arienne stopped before her beaten opponent. Cadell was gasping for his very breath, choked with blood. His muscles trembled violently in spasms. He looked up to meet Arienne's cold eyes.
The sound of the blow rang out through the now silent room. The chatter stopped abruptly, everyone snapping their gaze toward the sound. The echo rang out through the emptiness and the silence. Everyone's eyes widened in terror as they gazed at Cadell's crumpled form, a pool of blood forming around his now still body. He was laid away from his original position, and Arienne slowly lowered her fist.
Goten swore loudly. Bulma screamed over and over again. Gohan leapt up from his chair and Videl stumbled behind him. He ran to the doors, running out and into the main fighting chamber. He didn't stop until he had reached the fallen Saiyan youth.
Trunks didn't move. "She finished him..." he said in disbelief.
Gohan fell to his knees, Pan behind him. He carefully pressed his fingers to the youths neck, searching for any vital signs of life. Anything.
Arienne powered down slowly, her black hair falling once again past her shoulders, her black eyes returning.
"Gravity decreasing." The system voice announced, sensing the high power levels disappearing. "Simulation terminating."
"He's alive." Gohan announced with relief. "He needs medical attention, now!" He paused momentarily, meeting his granddaughters' gaze. He was shocked by the complacence in her eyes. Her face showed no concern, no remorse… nothing. Without a word, she spun away from the crowd that had gathered around Cadell's injured form and left the chamber. Gohan darted his eyes to look at the other youths, and found the same in their eyes. They were... were empty, their faces complacent. Gohan watched as Cadell was lifted by Vegeta and Goku under Bulma's strict instructions. He stood as his grandson was hurried to the medical ward. He faced the youths, his arms folded. "What the hell is going on?" He demanded. ""He's in a critical condition! How can you stand by like this? I thought you possessed a closer bond than this!"
Gohan stepped closer. "She nearly killed him." He growled angrily.
Rhiamon was the first to speak. "I know." He said. His voice just as empty as his eyes. "He was too distracted. That is dangerous for a soldier of his status. He's lucky he wasn't killed."
Goten spun his head to gaze at them all. His face was pained, the natural innocence of his character challenged by the scene before him. "Don't you care? I thought you guys really looked out for each other…?"
Rayne closed her eyes, her head down and her arms folded. "We do care... more than anything." She reassured firmly. "But this isn't a game. We play hard. There isn't any other way." Still hiding her face, she pushed past out of the room.
__*__
"What's taking so long?" Bra huffed. She whirled to once again peer through the small window on the medical lab door. Without her heels she was annoyingly short, having inherited her father's petit height.
Goten leant against the closed doorframe worriedly. "I hope he's going to be ok, man." He said. Yamacha nodded.
"It's a rough deal. It must be Vegeta's genes." He exclaimed. "She's like…vicious!" He yelped with confusion as Pan suddenly elbowed him in the ribs.
They all fell silent as Arienne appeared in the hallway. She was still dressed in the black fighting gi slacks, but had loosened them so that they hung low on her hips. She wore a small black under vest and her hair was scooped in a high ponytail and long midnight black plait. It swung right down at her hips as she walked through the middle of their accusing stares. She gently lifted herself on her tiptoes to gaze through the window into the lab. Her face was like a child, her small hands nervously gripping the window ledge.
Her long fringe gently fell over her large black eyes as she stretched to see through the observation window of the large medical bay. Her tight full body suit covered all of her young slender frame apart from the stark white Saiyan boots she wore. Her choppy shoulder length hair flicked as she nervously stayed on her guard from passing by soldiers. Her seemingly too long tail nervously swayed, ever hair on edge. Her eyes quickly looked worriedly at her brother's form in the regeneration tank. He had lost… taken off guard by Pepper's speed tactics. The young teenager had found himself out of his depth and quickly ripped to pieces by the arrogant soldier. Cadell's status was critical. But the technology on the ship were far used to such cases. Two weeks they had calculated. Only a couple of scars he would carry from this battle, the rest of the wounds would heal fine. But the experience and pain he would carry for a lifetime…
"It was a good battle."
Arienne was startled. Rhiamon nodded to her. "You fought well." He complimented solemnly. His gaze wandered to the tank inside the room. "He's been in many situations worse than this." He reminded her realistically.
Gohan frowned deeply. Just how many sitauations had he had to be like this? Had each of them had to go through? "That was a little too extreme for it only being training." He projected.
"Training isn't playing around. It's survival." Rhiamon countered. "Losing in training shared the same defeat as a real battle, and we treat it as such."
"Is this how they trained you back there?" Gohan asked solemnly.
Rhiamon met his father's accusing eyes. "It has made us stronger. It is a discipline." He said coldly.
"A discipline? Being left so critically injured at such young ages?" Gohan snorted with distaste. Inside, his heart was wrenching as it all began to fall into place from the broken pieces of information from each youth. The youths didn't respond to him. Even Rhiamon's face seemed to be masked with complacence now. An avoidance. For now.
Rhiamon smirked softly as he gazed once more through the window into the room. "He'll pull through just fine." He said confidentially. He pushed away from the wall and strode down the hallway. Goten gently led a saddened Bra away too.
Vegeta stared at the door deep in thought. He gave a huffed snort. His son's offspring no less! His eyes darted to the girl he had fathered himself. Arienne felt his eyes on her, and silently moved off to follow Rhiamon down the stark corridor. Her power level was naturally kept hidden, but it's potential was unmissable. Unlike Cadell's. Polluted by his son's human genes. Trunks had always been far too human, and now in his offspring, it was apparent it had continued through the bloodline. On the other hand, his daughter had been his child with Gohan's brat. The mixture of blood had been an interesting aspect of the battle…
Bulma opened the lab door sharply and stepped out, wiping her brow with her arm. "It's crazy in there." She breathed. "Daddy's looking after the tank controls." Vegeta gave her a dismissive snort. Bulma fumed silently. "Are you just going to stand staring at the door all day? Or do you plan to actually help for once in your god-damned life?" She snapped irritably at him.
"Maybe if I had been able to mix my bloodline with a Saiyan female instead of a baka earthling in the first place… this situation would not have arose!" Vegeta snapped viciously and arrogantly.
Bulma was speechless. "How dare you say that! Because I'm fully human doesn't mean I'm a lower species! Anyway…you've stayed with me all this time." She reminded him smugly.
Vegeta growled. "If I hadn't had to wait so long for a Saiyan female to be born, I wouldn't have put up with your incised nagging!" he yelled back at her. "You can see the difference yourself in the child Gohan's brat produced me, unlike your weak offspring!"
Gohan and Pan both snapped their gaze to the Prince with horror at his words.
Bulma froze, her hand slowly moving up to her mouth with shock. "Vegeta…" She whispered. Her voice sounded pained, but her fiery features soon turned to anger. Without a word, she walked right up to his face, and slapped her hand across his cold features. "That's all you care about! Your dying race! You can't save it Vegeta! It's gone!" She yelled at him. "If that's how little you value our relationship, then fine! Go fucking 'mate' with your own damn monkey species! …It's over!"
Her final words rang through the halls of the Corp. This wasn't just another argument… He had gone too far this time. Bulma was defiant, panting slightly from the force of her words. If you looked closely, you could see the tears she so desperately tried to hide. The atmosphere was thick with the seriousness of the confrontation. Without warning, Bulma suddenly ran from the scene, choking back sobs. Trunks glared at his father, full disbelief on his face. He hesitated, then ran to follow his fleeing mother, valuing her well being for now above all else. Vegeta gave another irritated snort. His dark eyes suddenly flickered to meet Pan's. Her's were wide and disbelieving too. She gently took a step backwards under the weight of his gaze. Gohan caught her by the shoulders comfortingly as Vegeta brushed past them in the opposite direction to where Bulma had gone. Everyone was silent. Pan was aware she was trembling lightly.
"Did I do this?" She choked out. Her face looked worried and shocked. "It was me… It's all because of me!"
Gohan pulled her into his arms, and she clung to her father's shirt. He stroked her hair soothingly. "Pan… don't ever believe that. You were not born to save a dying race. You were born from my Saiyan blood, out of love between me and your mother." He soothed. "You are more than a lost heritage. It is always part of who you are, your soul… but never to be abused in such a way as that. No one can decide your destiny like that. Not in this timeline. We can stop all of this happening, don't you see?"
"That's all we were, wasn't it?" Pan said weakly. "They wanted us for our bloodline. Because we were the last two Saiyan females. It didn't matter what we thought or felt, did it…?" She questioned emptily.
"We will stop this. I swear."
They turned to see Rhiamon there. Rayne nodded in agreement. "We will do everything in our power to ensure our timeline will not be repeated." She said firmly.
The silence was broken by shrill voices approaching. "Hey guys, look who's here!" Bra said cheerfully, dragging her friend along with her, unaware of her parent's dispute. The two girls stopped by the gang, and they all greeted them. The blonde girl smiled, her eyes gazing around the group.
Rhiamon froze, as his dark eyes met the blonde's crystal blue ones. Each held surprise and disbelief at each other's presence.
"Rhiamon…?"
"Marron…?"