Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Redemption ❯ Joinging Together ( Chapter 5 )

Kakarrotto's grip on my hand tightens as he snarls at Bulma. Snarls? When did he learn how to snarl? Before I can finish the thought, he teleports both of us away.

Now we're standing in the middle of a forest clearing. There's a small house to the side… As I inhale, I can smell Gohan. Ah. It's his house then.

Before I can react, he gathers me up in his arms and takes off, flying away from the house. Having no choice in the matter, I cling to him. I feel ill…

I think I'm in shock.

And now we're landing in the middle of another forest. He sets me down gently, then has to catch me because my legs give out. He lets me sit on the leafy ground.

`Sorry.'

He sits beside me, leaning back against a tree trunk. His hands are lying in his lap and he tilts his head up toward the sky, closing his eyes and sighing. I'm not sure why I keep noticing these things. I don't know why I keep staring, or why I'm feeling helpless and vulnerable… or why I seem to trust him completely.

Heh. I'm still a child, aren't I?

"… Kakarrotto?" I say, trying to get his attention.

A little boy tugging on his hand, a question in his eyes, mouth open and ready to voice it. Eyes wide in innocent curiosity…

"Yeah?" he responds, opening his eyes and turning to look at me. I suddenly can't remember what my question was. Did I have a question to begin with?

I end up just staring at him with wide eyes. I hope he understands. Because I certainly don't…

"… She shouldn't have done that," he says, frowning and looking away. I blink, surprised. What?

"I tried to tell her you were alright now! That Trunks wouldn't be in any danger, and that you were okay! But she won't listen!" he almost yells. But I can hear that he wanted to scream. It's in his voice. I wonder why he doesn't.

I don't know what to say, so I don't say anything. I watch a squirrel dart by us blankly.

Kakarrotto seems to fall silent for a few minutes. He inhales or exhales sharply every once in awhile, but makes no other sound. He must be thinking very hard. I can almost hear the rusty wheels in his head turning and trying to work at full speed.

"I got it!" he exclaims, startling me so much that I jump. When I look at him, he's grinning at me, obviously happy with himself for thinking of such a brilliant… whatever he's thought of.

"You can live with me!"

My eyes get wider, if that was possible. They're beginning to hurt.

"W-what?" I stutter.

"You can live with me!" he replies happily. "You know, since I can't convince Bulma to take you back."

Stab stab, twist twist. Drive the dagger in a bit deeper, Kakarrotto. I don't believe I'm dead yet. He seems to realize his mistake and hastily tries to apologize.

"I'm sorry Vegeta! I didn't… I didn't mean it that way, I swear! I just… I meant… ooh!" he groans, frustrated. He falls back into silence, apparently waiting for me to say something. I've hardly said anything since I asked to see Bulma…

Do I want to live with him? It wouldn't be so bad, would it? He does want me to. I can see that… and I owe him. For saving my life, I suppose, but more so for getting rid of that demon in my head. Though I'm still not sure exactly how he did that. I'll have to ask him once I'm feeling better. Right now I still feel weak and vulnerable. And I wouldn't be able to take care of myself if I was on my own… I never have been able to keep out of trouble when I'm left to my own devices. But then… I don't have much of a choice anyway. He wouldn't let me be alone out here in this world anyway.

"Okay," I say softly, still slightly nervous. He beams and promptly gathers me into a huge hug. I think I hear my ribs crack.

"Great!" he says enthusiastically. My heart starts thumping faster at his tone of voice and I feel a shoot of some odd emotion worm its way in between the thumping.

"We'll go get your stuff from Capsule Corporation and move it to my house, okay?"

I nod and smile slightly for his sake. It makes him happy. I can still smell a lot of worry on him, but right now he smells nice. Like he should smell. I feel smug for a moment, but it fades as soon as I recognize it. I hadn't known I could still feel that.

He teleports us again (is it possible to get Instantaneous Movement sickness?) and I'm standing in my room.

He looks troubled. I suppose I can understand why. The walls are painted dark black with thick curtains over the windows and the only furniture is the bed and a small dresser. Both are metal. The bed has a thin mattress on it, and its covers are black too. Not silk. I don't like silk. And I don't like plush mattresses. They're too strange. And I don't like the smell of wood.

"Ah…" Kakarrotto starts. "Why… why is the carpet ripped up? And why are the walls all…"

I look away from him, slightly embarrassed at the first question. One night I had woken up from a nightmare and I could swear that there was something underneath the carpet. I had ripped it up trying to find it.

"… There can't be any strange shadows if the entire room is one," I say shortly. It's mostly the truth.

He blinks. "Oh."

And I busy myself gathering what meager possessions I have. A few sets of clothes and training outfits. That's about it. I can tell the small pile of clothes I present to Kakarrotto surprises him. He thought that I had more than just clothing. Though what he thought I had, I don't know.

"This is it?"

I nod. He looks like he wants to say something, but he doesn't. He teleports us away and I'm almost blinded by a bright light.