Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Paint it Black ❯ Rescue ( Chapter 3 )

A special thank-you goes to DBZ Fanfiction Queen, who has reviewed all three chapters so far ^.^ Thanks!!

As I've said before, ErieDragon and I have been working on an original RP. I've also said that this RP will be made into a story and posted. However, this is no longer the case. We feel that we do not want to give the copyright over to MM.org or FF.net by posting the story, since it's original, and therefore the story will not be written. My sincerest apologies to anyone who cares.

Thanks to my friend ErieDragon (read her stuff) for letting me base one of my characters on her! While Kurushi won't be much like the person she's based upon yet, she'll become more like Kierushi as she grows older, or at least that's my plan.

I've talked long enough. Here's the third chapter:

Chapter 3: Rescue

Vegeta woke with a start, due to the bucket of icy water splashed upon his face. He sat up, sputtering as he looked about his surroundings. He was in an odd shelter, the walls made of an unfamiliar grayish substance, the roof thatched. It wasn't dark inside, though Vegeta could see no light source, and the temperature was perfect. His eyes fell on a light blue creature who sat in the corner, watching him with piercing eyes. He held a bucket in his hand, giving himself away as the one who had wet the prince.

"I probably shouldn't tell you your fate," the Ellom-jin said coldly, "but I think you might suffer more if you know."

Vegeta said nothing, only fixed the creature with a cutting glare.

An insane grin seemed to spread across the Ellom-jin's face as he stood, his crooked beige teeth clearly visible. "You will be killed in return for killing the Shatshie-jins," he said. "I think that's fair, don't you? I believe you will be beheaded, the old fashioned way: with knives!" He didn't wait for a reply as he left the hut, slamming a door made from the same material as the walls behind him.

Vegeta was silent. If that truly was his 'fate' as the Ellom had called it, then there was nothing he could do. Though he was strong, not even he could fight off an entire race, not when his attacks were expected. And the Ellom-jins seemed to be skilled fighters themselves.

He sighed, flopping back down on the bed. It was made of packed down grass, and it itched terribly, but he assumed it to be more comfortable than the floor. He debated whether or not to try and escape, and decided against it. He would wait and see if an opportunity arose before making a break for it. He doubted trying to sneak out would work.

He scratched the back of his neck, the dry grass becoming irritating as he stared at the thatched ceiling. So much grass... he thought. It was obvious that Ellom-sei wasn't much of an advanced planet.

He rolled over onto his side and decided to try and pass the time by sleeping. Vegeta assumed that when the Ellom-jins wanted him, they would send someone to get him. And when the time for his death was almost upon him, he was certain an opportunity would arise.

***

The creature ducked behind a bush just outside the town as a gruff-looking Ellom passed by. They were both silent and motionless as they waited for the Ellom-jin to leave. Then they turned their gaze towards that hut where their prisoner was staying.

The creature knew what the Ellom-jins were planning to do; if she hadn't had guessed in the beginning, the sharpening of knives and the few hushed words that reached her ears would have explained it. She sighed as she rocked back on her heels. She herself had almost suffered the same fate as the strange tailed boy. If it had not been for her brother... She cringed, deciding not to think about it.

She sucked in her breath as two young females walked by. Despite their hushed tones, the creature caught a few of their words.

"...sundown..." one said.

The other giggled. "...rock... hill..."

"...so exciting... Everyone... be there."

The stranger snarled under her breath. How could the Ellom-jins be excited about the prosecution of another? Then again, she thought, the Ellom-jins were known for their odd ways. But her eavesdropping had told her what she needed to know: when and where they would attempt to kill the boy.

She glanced at the sun. To both her panic and horror, it was already beginning to set, and she still had to devise a plan. She quickly eliminated her first thought: charge into the crowds and blow everything up. It was suicidal, especially if everyone was going to be there, and she might kill the boy while she was at it, which would defeat the purpose.

Then, with a triumphant smirk, she realized that her original plan may be able to work, if it was edited slightly...

***

Vegeta was jolted from slumber by someone lifting him to his feet. He opened his eyes and let out a curse, prepared to give whoever it was a piece of his mind. How dare they? He was a Saiya-jin prince!

"Such a dirty mouth."

Vegeta blinked, allowing his vision to focus, before he saw that it was an Ellom-jin who stood before him. He was grinning at the prince excitedly, and at first he couldn't remember why. It all came back to him in a rush. The Shatshie-jins, the lone Ellom and the dare, and then being ambushed. And now they would kill him. Or try to; he was still positive he would find an opportunity to make a run for it.

"You can either follow me in a civilized way or you can be dragged out. Your choice," the Ellom-jin said.

"And what do you know of being civilized?" Vegeta spat, but he walked arrogantly out of the hut himself. He didn't see the angry glare the Ellom directed towards his turned back.

The Ellom-jin rushed ahead so he was in front of Vegeta and he lead him towards a flat rock on a hill. The Saiya-jin pretended to be uninterested, but in truth he was scanning the area for a large group of off guard Ellom-jin. There were none that he could see as of yet.

As Vegeta began to walk up the hill, the white robed Ellom-jin from Shatshie-sei stepped up beside the rock, a long blade in his hand. Rather than feeling fear, though, Vegeta could only think out barbaric and primitive the whole idea was. Why not have a battle with him to the death? It would be much more enjoyable for everyone.

He walked up to the rock and fixed the white clothed Ellom with an icy yet proud glare. The Ellom-jin only shook his head in disgust. "Your punishment," he said to Vegeta, though his voice boomed out so all could hear, "will be death! This will be done by be-"

He was cut short as an explosion ripped through the sky a fair distance off. Everyone, Vegeta included, turned to look at the smoke billowing into the sky.

"Five people go and check it out!" the Ellom-jin barked, swinging his blade around in agitation.

Four people pulled away from the crowds and ran off in the direction of the smoke. The crowd began to shift in annoyance. Now the decapitation would have to wait.

Six more enormous blasts caused the people's heads to turn and more Ellom-jins were sent off in the addressed direction. The once large crowd had now diminished considerably, and Vegeta was debating whether or not this was the best time to run. Everyone seemed to be occupied with the mysterious explosions.

Chaos broke out when a war cry sounded, seeming to come from everywhere at once. Ellom-jin scattered, some to hide others to fight off whoever it was who was attacking. Vegeta smirked as he turned to dash down the hill. His golden opportunity had arisen! He raced into the trees, dodging branches and jumping over roots. He let out a grunt when he ran into a wall and fell into a sitting position.

He looked up in surprise and was that it wasn't a wall at all, but the tall Ellom-jin. He snarled down at Vegeta, the tare in his white robe currently unnoticed.

"If I can't kill you with a knife, I'll kill you in a more modern way, the same way you killed the Shatshie-jins!" The Ellom-jin pulled back his arm, forming a ki blast and preparing to throw. Caught off guard, Vegeta could do little but watch.

***

She raced away from the most recent pillar of smoke with alarming speed. She could tell from the sounds of panicked shouting that her plan had worked; complete turmoil had taken over the town. Now, she thought, if that boy is smart, he won't be there by the time I arrive.

As she burst from the trees, she could see the flame-haired boy dashing down the hill towards the trees, followed by the Ellom-jin's chief. He seemed unaware of his stalker.

The chief is pretty fast, she recalled. That boy could be caught unaware. Even before the thought had been completely formed, she was sprinting towards the trees after them, both to get away from the scene and to make sure the boy got off the small planet safely.

She came to a sudden halt as she saw the boy sitting confusedly on the ground, the Ellom-jin standing tall before him, a ki blast forming in his blue hand. She made her feet move once more as she lunged.

***

Vegeta wasn't exactly sure what had happened, but he saw a ki blast go streaking skyward, a small creature hanging onto the Ellom's arm and screeching. He flinched at the noise, but refused to cover his ears.

The Ellom-jin let out a cry as the stranger sunk her teeth into his arm, drawing a pale yellow blood. As she pulled back and spat the blood from her mouth she shouted, "Now!"

Vegeta needed no explanation. He jumped to his feet, pulled his arm back and threw a ki blast of his own at the Ellom-jin only a moment after the girl had let go and dropped to the ground. A second later, the only sign that the Ellom had ever been there was a tiny scrap of white clothing that blew passed Vegeta's face.

The girl laughed joyously and before Vegeta could even turn to see who was directly behind him, the creature was suddenly in front of him, grinning. She looked no older than him, though she was a tad taller, her pale pink hair cropped short, straight near the top, but becoming more spiky as it reached her chin. Her eyes were large and soft, turquoise in colour and complimenting her hair nicely. Despite these odd features and the fact that she lacked a tail, she could have been mistaken for a Saiya-jin.

"Don't even think about commenting on my hair," she said suddenly, her voice annoyed. "It's not my fault it's pink." She spat out the word as though it were poison.

Vegeta grunted. "Why would I comment on such an ugly feature? It's better left forgotten."

The girl's eyes narrowed and a growl escaped her throat, but she held out her hand anyway. "Kurushi," she said. "From Lioa-sei."

A Lioa-jin! Of course, Vegeta thought. People were always commenting on how Lioa-jins and Saiya-jins looked so much alike, except for their unusual colourings and no tail.

"Vegeta," he said with a smirk. "Prince of all Saiya-jins."

"A Saiya-jin?" she looked surprised. "Aren't they all dead?"

This time it was Vegeta's eyes that narrowed. "No."

"Oh. That's what I thought. You can't be the prince of very many, then. From what I heard, Vegeta-sei exploded good... Couldn't have been many survivors."

Vegeta snarled. "Who are you to come here saving me, and then insulting both my race and hierarchy?"

"But I didn't insult-"

"I didn't need you to help save me. I had everything under perfect control. You could have made things worse!"

Kurushi rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you did."

"I did!"

"If you did," she said with a grin, "then why are you here getting all angry about it?"

Vegeta opened his mouth to reply but couldn't think of anything in time so he growled instead, taking to the air. "I didn't need your help," he said again, "nor did I want it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to Cold-sei." In a flash, Vegeta was gone, leaving Kurushi alone in the forest.

It took her a moment to realize the boy had left, and when she did, she let a stream of curses follow him through the sky. What an attitude! she thought. What a shame... He was pretty cute, too. Kurushi shrugged, deciding there was no use in getting angry about it. The chances of her ever seeing him again were slim, and she had better things to worry about.

Like what she would tell her mother when she finally returned home.

***

Vegeta threw himself into the chair of his pod and pulled the strap over his shoulder. She had no right helping me! he thought. It was completely unneeded. Stupid pink-haired wench.

Then he sighed. There was no use in letting it bother him. He doubted he would ever see him again and there were more important things to think about.

How he would explain his late return to Frieza was only one of them.

***

A/N: There it is... Chapter three, and the introductory of Kurushi. Hope you all liked it! Chapter 4: Disappointed Praise will be out shortly.

Happy Valentine's Day!!