Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ The Second Chance ❯ Connections ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Five

~Ellery~

Kakarot and I were quiet as we made our way toward his home. I followed closely, but I didn’t want to get too close. The best way to learn about Kakarot now is to observe. I hadn’t learned enough by involving myself.

The home was small, and Kakarot’s mood immediately lifted when he landed in front of it. He seemed to completely change and let his guard down completely. I couldn’t tell what it was, but it was apparent that something about this house made him feel safe, untouchable.

I followed him inside. It wasn’t large, but it was cozy. Being Kakarot’s home, I wouldn’t have expected it to have more than he absolutely needed.

I looked around as we walked through the hut to a windowsill, where the four star dragon ball sat. I didn’t know what it was, but it looked incredibly magical sitting in the sunlight. The color casted all the way to the floor, and the stars were printed into the cast.

Kakarot picked it up and put it into his bag with the others. He noticed that I was looking around and flashed me a smile. “It’s pretty small, but I don’t need much space. Both of my boys are grown, and I live alone nowadays.”

“I wasn’t passing judgment, Kakarot. I was actually admiring it. The entire home is a reflection of you. I couldn’t imagine you living anywhere else.” I looked over to him, giving him a soft smile.

His eyes lit up and the childish smile he sported erupted further up his cheeks. I knew he hadn’t seen me smile much, that trait I shared with my father, but I hadn’t expected it to be such a riveting moment for the third-class.

“What is that look for, Kakarot?”

He shrugged, looking in his bag at the dragon balls, checking and double-checking that we had the ones that the woman had been missing. “I just think you look nice when you smile.”

I arched a brow. “Nice?”

“Yeah, I mean, you always look so angry, and when you smile, it’s like you’re a whole different person.” He didn’t make eye contact as he explained himself. I knew he wasn’t intimidated by me, even though my strength surpassed his own. It puzzled me how he could be so shy, but so confident any other time. He’s a warrior, and shyness was for the weak.

“I don’t have much to smile about.” I said coldly as I continued to examine the small home. There were very few personal possessions. There were old pots and pans, no table, a single chair, and nothing too valuable. It was almost empty.

Kakarot sighed and closed his eyes. He was searching for a ki, I could tell. For what reason, I couldn’t tell. Then again, I didn’t understand much about Kakarot. For a Saiyan, he sure didn’t act like one. Aside from his desire to fight, he was human. He was strong, but he wasn’t close to how the Vegeta from my timeline had explained that Saiyans are.

I didn’t believe I’d ever understand the warrior.

“Got it.” Kakarot said as he grabbed onto my arm. I was going to jump away, but before I could, his forefinger and middle finger were pressed to his forehead and our surroundings had completely changed. I had to admit, it definitely shook me up a bit.

I looked around frantically, noticing that we were back at the woman’s compound, in her lab. My mind couldn’t comprehend how we’d gotten here, and it made my stomach twist. No one seemed to think it was as odd as I did. Vegeta barely looked up, and Bulma was still looking down at her work. Kakarot’s mutt had left, but the woman seemed hard at work, with her and Vegeta’s son standing next to her.

“Relax.” Kakarot said, loosening his grip and allowing his touch to linger for a moment before he released my arm. “I learned that trick a few years back. I just moved us directly to a certain ki signal. Nothing to be afraid of.”

“Afraid?” I asked, my voice a snapping shout. “I was not afraid!”

The taller Saiyan shrugged and Vegeta looked up at him. “You didn’t warn her before you used instant transmission?”

“I figured I could explain afterwards.” Kakarot defended.

Vegeta snorted and looked over to where his mate and son were standing. “When are you making the wish, Kakarot?”

I looked to the Saiyan, waiting for the answer myself. He looked unconcerned.

“Whenever you guys want to, I guess.”

Vegeta stood, taking the bag from Kakarot and grabbing a second sack from the floor. He said nothing as he passed by us, headed out to the lawn. I’d never seen the dragon summoned before, but I’d heard that it was a huge spectacle. I would never miss this. I followed my father and assumed that Kakarot would follow me.

By the time Vegeta had dumped the dragon balls onto the lawn, I had stopped to stand beside him. He watched as the balls flashed their orange hue in unison.

“This can be overwhelming, especially as a spectator.” Vegeta warned.

I nodded in acknowledgement. “Thanks for the warning.”

He hadn’t been lying. The entire thing seemed to blur together. I heard Vegeta yelling to the dragon, summoning it from its slumber. I watched as the green monster arose from the balls, filling the sky with thick, black clouds. My breath caught in my chest as nearly all the light was drained from the area. I could feel my heart pounding. Even if this creature wasn’t very strong, it was very intimidating. It’s glowing red eyes seemed to bore into me as it shouted to my father, commanding that he make his wish.

I felt a strong hand cup my shoulder, and I jumped at the contact. Kakarot was standing behind me and he didn’t even flinch when I nearly attacked him. He’d caught me off guard. Fool.

I watched as the show continued. Vegeta told the dragon that he wanted “the Saiyans” to regrow their tails immediately. The dragon didn’t even muster a question, and simply flashed his eyes, assuring my father that the wish would be granted. It disappeared quickly and the balls began to levitate, spinning in the air.

I hadn’t seen him move, but Kakarot jumped up to grab the ball that he’d retrieved from his home as the rest were scattered. Kakarot landed with a sickeningly childish smile, holding a perfectly round stone.

Where was the dragon ball?

“They are scattered and hidden so they won’t be active for another year. Kakarot has an attachment to that ball, so he keeps it at his home.” Vegeta explained.

I felt like I’d been holding my breath for hours. I let the breath out of my chest audibly.

I looked to Kakarot, who now had his tail waving wildly behind him. I didn’t think it would be so painless for a Saiyan to regrow a tail. It seemed to me like neither he, nor my father, even felt the appendage return.

When we returned to the lab, Bulma was sitting at the desk, looking at us expectantly. She noticed Vegeta’s tail wrapped around his waist, just as mine always was. Kakarot just seemed overly excited, letting his tail wave behind him.

Trunks hadn’t regrown his tail, I noticed. I guess Vegeta had worded it that way on purpose, planning to allow his wife to test if the drug would regrow a tail for a half-blood.

Vegeta had a weird smile on his face, like he had some kind of sinister plan. I didn’t like being left out of things like this. I crossed my arms over my chest and looked over at my father.

“I’d like to know what the big joke is around here.” I demanded. I didn't want to be made a fool of, and that’s all that was going to be accomplished if I couldn’t prepare.

“Well,” Bulma paused. “I already talked to Vegeta about it, but I need Saiyan DNA to analyze, and from several Saiyans.”

“Okay, so what’s your point?”

“Goku is afraid of needles.” Trunks said, replacing his mother as the conversationist.

I looked over to my comrade. Kakarot’s color had completely dropped from his face, and he was shifting from foot to foot. “I’m sure he isn’t that bad.”

“Can’t you get the DNA some other way? Hair? Spit?” Kakarot asked, almost stammering with his fright.

Trunks shook his head. “Blood is abundant, and hard to change the genetics or general make-up of. Plus, we’ll have more than enough if we take even a cup, and won’t degrade as quickly as hair or saliva.”

Kakarot tensed up. I don’t know what he was so afraid of. I’d had thousands of injections and I didn’t see what he was so afraid of. They didn’t hurt.

“Can’t you just take it from Vegeta and Ellery? I mean, I’m not the only Saiyan.”

“Yes, and we need it from several Saiyans. Gohan, Bra, and I have already given enough to see the difference between purebred and half-breed.” Trunks said. He looked up at Kakarot, and it seemed like he was slowly inching toward the door.

Vegeta blocked his path. “Several Saiyans, Kakarot. Ellery is my daughter, and is too closely related to me. It won’t kill you. You’ve been hurt far worse than that of a needle. You’re a warrior, and you need to act like it.”

I looked between the two. I couldn’t believe that this was actually an argument these Saiyans were having.

Kakarot swallowed, trying to find another escape. “It’s different, Vegeta!”

I rolled my eyes, grabbing the Saiyan by his arm and dragging him over to Bulma. “I’m losing my patience.” I told him as I twisted his right arm behind his back, close to pulling his shoulder completely out of socket.

Bulma chuckled, watching me restrain what they had called “Earth’s Greatest Hero.” I couldn’t deal with him acting like a tiny child.

“Would you just do it, woman? This is ridiculous.” I shouted to Vegeta’s mate.

Bulma rolled her eyes. “Can you bring him over here? If you can put him in the chair, it’s less likely he’ll pass out.”

“Let me go, Ellery!” Kakarot shouted at me, his voice cracking as he thrashed.

“If you do not stop squirming, Kakarot, I’m going to personally see to it that you never walk again.” I hissed into his ear, pulling his arm further behind him. He yelped at the pain that probably sprung to his shoulder.

I pushed the warrior down to the chair that Bulma had put into the center of the room. I let him fall into the chair, and pushed down on his elbow of the restrained arm until he yelped again. I had to make sure he didn’t move. I wasn’t going to do this again.

I flared my ki enough to send me over the edge of Super Saiyan, making sure I was well ahead of Kakarot when it came to strength. “Go ahead, try leaving again.”

He swallowed hard, waiting for me to release him.

Bulma worked quickly. She tied the tourniquet around Kakarot’s forearm, even if he jumped every time she touched him. I pushed down on his elbow and his shoulder more forcefully, feeling his shoulder pop out of the joint. Kakarot bit his tongue against the cry that threatened to come out.

“I’ll fix your shoulder once she’s done.” I promised him, keeping my voice level. I understand a little fear, but he was completely incapacitated when it came to needles.

After she cleaned the area, the needle was in and Kakarot continued to shift constantly. It was like he couldn’t get comfortable. I was just glad that he wasn’t trying to escape again.

Bulma untied the tourniquet, and finished taking the last vial she needed. She pushed the gauze down against the needle, extracting it expertly. “See, that wasn’t that bad, Goku. That’s better than you usually do.” Bulma praised.

Kakarot chuckled, lifting his arm. The gauze fell off and a small bubble of blood came from his tiny wound. His laugh turned into a sigh as he slumped into the chair.

“How did I know this would happen?” Vegeta complained. He watched as I pulled the larger Saiyan over my shoulder, taking him over to the small cot in the lab. I remembered that Bulma had told me that it was there so she could nap, if she needed to. I pushed him onto the bed, grabbing his arm, and putting one hand on his shoulder. I pushed gently, waiting for the heavy pop that told me that his shoulder was back in the joint. I took the time to power-down.

I walked away, seeing that Bulma was already pulling blood from my fiery-haired father. The woman was an expert at nearly everything, and it was a tad bit disturbing. I could never compete with her in the brains department, and that actually scared me.

“You’re up, child.” Vegeta said, already taking the gauze from his hand. I nodded, walking over to Bulma, sitting in the chair.

“Have you had this done before, Ellery?” Bulma asked, hesitating a moment.

“Yes, Bulma. Far more than I care to remember.” I said sternly, waiting. Bulma sighed, tying the tourniquet and pulling the blood in less than a minute. I had to admit, I was impressed. She was faster than Frieza’s on-board doctors.

“All finished.” She handed me the piece of gauze. I pressed it to the small mark, standing and walking over to Kakarot. His shoulder was bruised, which made me a little nervous. He’d heal quickly, but he would definitely be angry with me.

“Thank you, guys. I appreciate the help.” Bulma said, looking to Vegeta and Trunks, who shared an identical nod of acknowledgement to the human.

It was nearly nightfall, so I decided to drag Kakarot to his bed. I tossed him over my shoulders, walking up the steps. Vegeta followed me up. I could tell that he was making sure that I got up safely with Kakarot over my shoulder. I couldn’t believe he still had so little faith in me.

I put Kakarot into bed and pulled the blankets up to cover his crumpled body. Vegeta smiled to me. “You won’t win Kakarot over that way.” Vegeta told me.

I arched a brow at him. “I’m not trying to win him, Vegeta.”

He chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. “Kakarot wants someone to take care of him, not someone to beat on him. His human mate did that enough in her lifetime.”

I shook my head. “My dear prince, I am not beating on him. I am treating him as I would any potential mate. I’m stronger than him, and I will prove that to him as many times as I have to. He and I are both equal in a mating ceremony, so I must show him that I offer as much value as he does to a relationship, and a battle.”

Vegeta dropped his smile completely. “He isn’t going to settle for you being stronger than him. He will surpass you someday.”

I smiled. “I’m excited to see the day, Vegeta.”

Suddenly, his smile returned, with a spark of something different behind it. “Good, you’ll do just fine.” He turned on his heal, leaving the room.

I was confused. Vegeta had egged me on. Why did he do that? What did he want to actually hear from me?

I sighed, walking over to my own bedroom. I took my time to stretch and shower before I headed to bed myself. I had to be up early to train again, so I refused to go to sleep too late. I had priorities, after all.

I crawled into one of Bulma’s sleep-shirts, which reached well past my hips, and a pair of spandex shorts. I crawled under the blankets and waited until I was falling asleep to the sound of my own purr in my chest.

Usually, I had a few days between each of my night terrors, but I guess the stress of being somewhere new made it happen any time I fell asleep. I knew it was coming once the dream started.

I was a child back then, barely sixteen. It was the first time that my heat had hit, and I wasn’t exactly sure how to handle it. Unfortunately for me, Frieza’s men knew exactly how to take care of it. I’d never expected something to happen like this.

I remember every second of it. Until then, I had thought Frieza’s punishments were bad, but then I realized that nothing could compare to having your free will taken from you just for the sake of someone else getting off. I realized that I was just something to be used. I wasn’t anything valuable, just something for people to do with what they pleased, and to only be given free will when I would fight, but I’d be so afraid to defy those men that I didn’t have a choice anyway.

I could still feel the metal of the cuffs on my wrists, and the static passing through them as they interrupted any ki trying to exit my body. It drained me so much that I couldn’t even move most of the time.

I could still remember them tearing off my armor, telling me that I had no use resisting, even though I physically could. Every time, it was the same thing. They’d chase me down, or grab me while I was distracted, and slap on the cuffs before I could resist in the slightest. I’d be stripped naked and my body would be invaded like some kind of secret oil tap. They’d slap me around until they were satisfied, and leave me there to deal with my wounds on my own, and to find my way back to my room with no clothes, everyone knowing what had just been done to me.

I could feel that my throat was scratchy from screaming already, but I still couldn’t tell exactly where I was, or who was whispering incoherent words to me. I couldn’t tell who had pressed that intolerable ice to my neck, right above my pulse, or what exactly I’d been doing to alarm them.

“Everything is okay, Ellery.” I heard the husky voice whisper to me, wiping the dampness from my cheeks. My eyes were open, but it was like I was blind. I couldn’t see anything around me, or move a single muscle. It was like my body was floating, completely numb, aside from the ice on my neck, and wherever this helping hand had touched.

“Wake up, Elle. No one is going to hurt you.” I could almost pinpoint the voice. It wasn’t quite familiar, but it was soothing. I knew the voice, but I hadn’t known it long. Who the hell would call me by a nickname? I’d never had one.

“You can’t expect her to wake up instantly, Kakarot. It will take a little time for the shock to wear off.” It was Vegeta. I could start to pick out the details of the voices. Vegeta’s was rough, but flat, and extremely low, like he was speaking from his chest.

The other voice was deep, but not quite as much as Vegeta’s. It was light-hearted, soft, and careful. It was like every word was calculated.

“I know, but I want her to wake up to something pleasant.”

Kakarot. I wished I could smile in that moment, because I really wanted to. I’d never had someone be so considerate of me. Even on Namek, they wouldn’t wake me from the terrors, and wouldn’t help me out of them in any way. I couldn’t blame them. They didn’t even know what was going on, after all. They did what they could.

Slowly, my sight came back. I could feel my muscles, like they were waking, pins and needles jutting through them at the first movement. I turned my head, wincing as I turned to look where Kakarot was kneeling by my bedside, holding the icepack in one hand, a dry rag in the other. His chest was exposed, and by then I’d realized that it wasn’t a rag. It was his gi top, but he’d wiped off the sweat from my forehead with it. He looked lost in thought, hopeful, but scared as well.

Vegeta was standing behind the other Saiyan, his arms crossed over his chest. Just like the night before, he was only in a pair of pajama pants, but I saw no sign of Bulma.

“K—” I paused, trying to wet my overused throat.

“Hey!” He touched my cheek gently with the gi top, wiping the rest of the sweat from my cheeks. “I’m glad you’re awake.”

I nodded, looking up at my father. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

He snorted. “Of course you didn’t, you fool.” I knew he wasn’t being malicious, but he had his own way of dealing with things. He looked a little more angry than normal, his angular jaw jutting out as it clenched and released repeatedly.

“Vegeta.” Kakarot scolded him.

“It’s okay, really.” I said quietly. “Thank you for waking me.”

Vegeta nodded, while Kakarot smiled at me. “Oh, you’re welcome, anytime!” The larger warrior scratched the back of his head and his smile grew to twice the size it had been a few seconds before.

Vegeta turned and began to leave the room. He looked back to speak to me once more. “I’m going back to bed, do you need anything before I’m gone?”

I was surprised. I hadn’t thought that Vegeta was a concerned man, but I guess I should have guessed since he was so protective before when it came to the gravity chamber. “No, I’m okay.” I said, and he left immediately. Something was different. He was acting more closed-off than he had in the time that I’d known him.

Kakarot wiped the sweat off of his own brow, using only the arm that I hadn’t injured earlier. “Wow, that was intense. I’ve never seen Vegeta like that.”

“Like what, Kakarot?”

He shrugged. “He was really concerned. I didn’t get here before he did, but whatever happened before I got in here really made him angry.”

I looked away from him. “Did you hear what I was saying?”

“I mean, yeah, but I didn’t think it was any different than last night.” Kakarot stood, preparing to leave the room again. “I should get some rest, too.”

I hated to think of what I was about to ask, but I had to. It was obvious that I couldn’t keep going on this way, and sleeping with someone had helped Vegeta, maybe it would help me as well.

“Kakarot.” I said, sitting up a little bit and moving over in the huge bed. He watched me intensely. “Will you stay?”

He looked nervous, his features twisting and refusing to look at me. “Ellery, Chi Chi—”

I cut him off. “I’m not asking you to fuck me, I just want someone here. I think it may help me sleep.” I hadn’t meant it to sound so cold and blunt, but I figured that was the best way to get my point across.

His eye immediately lightened. “Oh, okay. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions.” Depositing the icepack into my bathroom sink, he tossed his top onto the floor. He hesitated a moment before he swung his legs up onto the bed and pulled the blankets up around him. “Is this okay?”

I smiled. “It’s perfect. I’m sorry if I’m imposing, I just need to figure out how my father managed to beat these.”

Kakarot chuckled. “Bulma said they started to dissipate after they started sharing a bed, probably because he started to have something to hold onto when they would start, and then she could comfort him. I mean, it’s Bulma, so you kinda have to trust her judgment.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. Looking at his bruised shoulder, I traced the dark bruise with my fingertip. “I didn’t mean to bruise you.”

He looked over at his shoulder. “Oh, that? I’m not worried about it.”

I swallowed, settling under the blankets. “Thank you.”

He put his hands behind his head, getting comfortable, while trying to move slowly so he didn’t hurt his shoulder. “You’re welcome, Ellery. If this helps you fight off the dreams, I’m okay doing it.”

I waited until he fell asleep, and a low purr started in his chest. It was too soft to be heard by humans, but I could hear it rhythmically rolling with his breathing. For some reason, it made me calm. It made me happy. I fell asleep easily.