I am Kera, a Saiyan Warrior Princess

Chapter 20

"I'm sorry. It was all for nothing." Frustration resonated in Piccolo's voice. Sadness, that he hadn't been able to defeat Frieza, or even hurt him. Anger. And pain. The fight had left him with more wounds than he had imagined. Panting, he knelt on one of the few remaining islands in a wide radius and watched Vegeta, who was now taking the fight to Frieza.

"Wait, I'll heal you." Dende placed his small hands on Piccolo's forearm.

Warmth flooded through Piccolo. Bones grew back together, wounds closed. Gratefully, he smiled at the young Namekian.

"Thank you, Dende."

His smile was returned. "You are fused with Nail, are you not?"

Piccolo nodded. "I found him on the way here. He was dying after the fight against Frieza."

"It's nice that he lives on in you," Dende said softly.

Krillin landed with Gohan beside them. Gohan's eye was swollen shut and he was very wobbly on his feet. Dende immediately ran to him and began to heal him.

"What happened to Vegeta?"

Krillin followed Piccolo's gaze. "He asked me to hurt him so badly that he was near death."

"What, why?"

"According to Vegeta, every time Saiyans are on the brink of death and then heal, they become significantly stronger."

"That explains a lot," Piccolo said dryly. He turned to Gohan, who was just getting back up. "You okay again?" The boy nodded and smiled briefly. Piccolo leaned down to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You fought really well, kid."

"Frieza's new transformation is pretty intense!" said Krillin, who hadn't taken his eyes off the fighters. Before Vegeta had intervened in the fight, Frieza's appearance had changed again. His head was now grotesquely elongated and he had strange shoulder plates. As his appearance had changed, so had his fighting ability.

Piccolo's hopes were sinking. How could they possibly defeat Frieza? Despite Nail's powers, he hadn't stood a chance. And Vegeta's brief superiority was now turning into the opposite. What could they do now?

"Papa!" Gohan's call snapped him out of his thoughts and Piccolo looked behind him.

Gohan jumped joyfully to Goku. The latter was clearly happy to see his son and leaned down to him. "I am proud of you for fighting so well." Then he turned to Piccolo. "I am happy to see you. I didn't want to believe it, but it's really you, Piccolo. Your aura is so different." But Piccolo paid no attention to him at all. He was staring at Sitara. She looked at him too and took a step towards him. They stood an arm's length apart.

"Piccolo. I apologise for attacking you earlier. I couldn't remember. It's all back now. Everything." She spoke haltingly, softly.

Piccolo only nodded. He felt the urge to embrace her, but he knew this was not the time. Krillin's eyes moved quickly back and forth between the two. He was about to ask a question, but Sitara was the first to do so. She broke eye contact with Piccolo and turned to Goku.

"We have something to do there." Goku nodded at her and straightened up. They turned to face Frieza. Piccolo held Sitara by the arm.

"No, Sitara. He's too strong!" Sitara looked down at Piccolo's hand holding her, then up into his face. Her eyes had lost the gentle expression they had shown just a moment ago. Piccolo backed away a few inches. It was as if another person was looking at him.

"My name is Kera," she said firmly. "Let go of me!" Her voice sparkled with anger. She let her aura flare and she snatched her arm from Piccolo's grasp.