Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Shattered Glass ❯ Morning Run ( Chapter 1 )

Shattered Glass

By Namek Kaia

Disclaimer: Listen and pay very close attention… I don't own… you don't sue. Got it? Yay! ^^

Additional Disclaimer: This fic is not exactly a songfic. But it is a fic that is greatly influenced by music, and will probably have song titles or lyrics within each chapter. In no way, shape or form do I own the songs. And if you don't like them, then oh well.

**Author's Note** Set five years after the defeat of Cell. Definite A/U, and probably some OOC, though I try not to stray too much from the characters we all know and love. Teen Gohan does not become the Great Saiyaman. Sorry Saiyaman fans. Now… on with the story! Enjoy. (Pssst!! Read and review please.)

Chapter One

Morning Run

The forest was already harmonized with the sounds of morning as the sun peaked over the horizon. The yellow-orange that bathed its bright path brought such beauty that one so rarely sees. Fresh dew sparkled as diamonds off the moist foliage, and the nearby meadow looked radiant and golden with silent fireworks made from a mix of water and light. Wildflowers straightened their stems as if stretching into the new soothing warmth. Animals slowly departed from their shelters for a pleasant morning graze. This particular morning was glorious, an unknown paradise. But wildlife was not alone in its appreciation.

It was not too soon after the sun had fully arisen to warm all in its path that a disturbance could be heard from deep within the woods. Sticks and dead leaves remaining from the winter crunched under rapid feet, setting a steady rhythm of a quickening approach.

The intruder ran through the forest, deftly dodging trees as if they had taken this path hundreds of times before… which was quite blatantly the truth. The figure was female; strong in build and tall in stature. Her wavy, dark brown hair was pulled back tightly in a ponytail that swayed with her brisk movement. She wore a sporty black halter that showed her flexing abdomen and hip-hugging black jogging pants. Music of The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" poured into her ears from tiny earphones that were hooked to a slim, portable CD player.

Music accompanied her nearly everywhere. It proved to be the only comfort she had in a life such as hers. She seemed to find a way to connect personally to all the music she listened to. Whether it was only the melody of the song, or the meaning of the lyrics, she could find a way to make it her own, and give it special meaning. Music was her life, and much of what she listened to greatly reflected upon that.

During her morning outings, not only did the music keep her mind away from her panting and the sharp pain in her right leg, but it also set an advanced running pace for her. This allowed her to drift into her own world as she pushed her body to its limits.

Finally, she burst from the tree line of the forest with increased speed, pushing herself and the restraint of her injuries. Her pace quickened with both reserved energy and anticipation. This was her favorite part of the run… the final stretch. With a flick of her thumb, the volume of the music shot to nearly full blast, tunes of violins ad drums driving her to the maximum. Her body was fueled purely by adrenaline. She pumped her arms with all the strength they held, and strained to move her legs faster.

She could now see the cliff's edge, her finish line. Excitement overtook her and she was too far-gone to think about anything else but completing the first half of her morning run. As she approached the edge, her feet did not slow. She eagerly bounded over the edge, immediately bending and twisting into various somersaults and flips. The cliff was not a high one, barely reaching 50 yards over the land below; a height that couldn't have come close to giving her a second thought about jumping it. Though it should have done just that on this morning.

Three quarters of the way down is when she finally came to realize what she had done, and she instantly let off a string of swears in her mind. `My leg!' was all that she had time to think before she made contact with the ground. As expected, a searing pain shot through her shin from the harsh impact. She was quickly brought down onto her side and an awful roar of pain erupted from her throat, her hands quickly grasping the damaged area to put pressure on the wound.

After a long while that seemed like forever, she recovered from the pain somewhat and set her mind to sustaining the injury until she could properly aid it. She ripped a long strip of cloth from her jogging pants and slid her right pant leg back to expose the gash in her shin. The bandage was visibly absorbing the fresh blood. Carefully, but as quickly as possible, she removed the bandage and began wrapping the wound tightly with the ripped cloth.

Just after she tied the bandage, earning herself an unsuccessfully bitten-back grunt, the sun became blocked from her position on the ground. She looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun's glare to look up at the obstruction. What she saw shocked her to an indescribable point.

It was a man, though not one like she'd ever seen before. From her viewpoint on the ground, he looked to be about seven feet tall with a large build, arms crossed over his chest. He wore strange clothing: a gi with shoulder guards and a turban. But what caught her off guard most was his green skin. She warily scooted away from him, careful not to injure her leg further. Her face held its composure. She would not show fear.

"Calm down. I will not harm you," he said in a deep monotone. She noticed his reaction to her wariness was as if he expected it. Though, she could only guess that with an appearance like his, he had probably become accustomed to it. Still, she did not speak or react in any other way. She merely sat there, watching him intently for sudden, threatening movements. But none came.

"I heard your scream. It interrupted my meditation," the stranger explained. He scanned the area in search for something before setting his eyes back on her. "I only came to make sure no one was being attacked." She could feel his eyes scanning over her body, and she felt slightly uncomfortable for a moment. "How were you injured?" he inquired, his voice still in the same monotone.

She still felt uneasy talking to him, but answered his question nonetheless. "I was attacked, but not today. I'm ashamed to say that I'm now injured further out of my own stupidity," she replied, which received a strong `hmph' from the tall, green man.

"Why are you out here, so far away from the nearest city?" he asked, never moving from his steady stance in front of her.

"I take long runs in the mornings. This is the first day I've been able to run since I was injured. I was going to take it easy… try to build strength back into my leg. But I got too carried away with my regular routine," she explained, some of her uneasiness fading.

"You're fine now?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she stated confidently, and attempted to stand only to find that there was too much pain in her leg to put weight on it. She winced, but out of pride, tried to hide most of her discomfort. She was not one to show weakness. "Well that's just great," she stated sarcastically and sat awkwardly on the nearest boulder. She sat quietly as she contemplated her options. There was no other choice. "I don't suppose you could take me to the nearest road, could you? I'm sure I can get a ride from there."

He growled low in his throat before contemplating her request. He didn't care too much for doing favors, especially to strange humans, but on the other hand, he couldn't just leave her out here alone. There was no guessing what dangers she could face as an invalid female trying to make her way back home through the woods. `Hmph. You've made me too soft, old man,' he commented to Kami mentally. "Fine, but only to the nearest road. I'll take you no further than that. I have more important things to do than cater to you."

She smiled warmly at him. "Thank you, Mister… umm…"

"It's Piccolo," he stated simply and, attempting to be polite, offered his hand.

She stood, although unsteadily, and gently took his hand, noticing the pads of his fingers were callused, but his hand was otherwise soft. "Andréa. Thank you, Piccolo. If there's anything I can do in return…"

"Yes, be quiet," he said as he lifted her from the ground, one arm supporting her back while the other held the backs of her knees. He swiftly took off, but not so much as to frighten her more than necessary. She gasped and clutched to his gi for a moment before relaxing and taking in the new view of the scenery. From this vantagepoint, the beauty of the forest and meadow were amplified. She was soon greatly enjoying her flight.

After a while, the wind began to chap at her face, causing her to turn away. Her face ended up comfortably in the crook of his neck. Piccolo automatically became uncomfortable, but withstood it for what he was sure would only be a few more moments. As she breathed, she could smell his scent. She had never smelled such goodness in her life. His scent was a mix of the sweetness of spring water and the salty musk of sweat. Strangely enough, it was rather pleasing.

She could feel their speed slowing and finally come to a stop. Her let her down gently, careful of her injured leg. She turned to him after situating herself on another large rock and once again thanked him. He nodded in reply and she watched him as he turned and leapt into the sky. It was after he was out of site that she let her smile slowly creep across her face. An odd feeling came over her that she couldn't quite place. But it was easily shaken off. Her mind was now set on watching the road for the first passerby.

Piccolo flew for only a minute before turning back. He didn't know why, but he didn't feel right leaving her there alone on the side of the road. Unnoticed by her, he took his place in a nearby tree and watched the strange woman named Andréa and her surrounding to ensure that she was safe.

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So! What'd ya think? The first chapter is not the best. No real action, but this was necessary for future plot. Let me know if you are curious at all about where this could be going. Yes, Piccolo will be one of the main characters. Gohan and Videl could play major characters as well, depending on the response I get. Review and give me any suggestions and/or comments. Laterz! ~ NaK ~