Ascending | ✔

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Thunder crashed as rain poured hard and mercilessly onto Sadala, a contrast to the droplets that were gently caressing Caulifla's bedroom window. Caulifla rolled onto her side to stare at the blackness outside. Though she would never admit it to anyone, her heart ached for Renso's return. She hadn't seen her brother since dinner and was already missing him; testimony to their close relationship.

He's probably waiting out the storm, Caulifla thought as she restlessly shifted in her bed, her limbs tangled in a sea of blankets. That's all. He'll be back tomorrow before you know it. Stop being a coward! You can survive one night without him. She sadly glanced at the empty bed on the other side of the room. He'll be back, she told herself, he will.

An hour later, it was nearing midnight and Caulifla still couldn't sleep. Her eyes blinked owlishly in the darkness. It's so dark and cold... Where are you Renso? She couldn't explain it with words but there was a certain warmth Renso brought whenever he was inside a room. It was a warmth that Caulifla was far too adjusted to. I am a proud saiyan. I need to stop this nonsense and go to sleep! Caulifla growled in frustration and slammed the pillow over her head in an attempt to fall into sleep's embrace. It didn't work. The only result she got from it was that, if someone were to be able to see through the pitch black darkness, they would completely miss her and see only bedsheets and quilts.

When two hours had passed, Caulifla sighed and sat up on the bed. This isn't going to work... But I'm so tired. Numbly, she slid off the side of the bed, the feel of the cool wooden floor against her feet making her shiver as she left the welcoming warmth of her mattress. Half-asleep and completely exhausted from a long day of training and no rest, she shuffled like a sloth down the hallway, instinctively following a familiar pattern of twists and turns.

She arrived at the closed door of her parents room. She knocked once. Then twice. There was no response. So Caulifla simply yawned tiredly and opened the door herself. Like her own room, the bedroom of Lotuce and Garlik was totally pitch black. Occasionally, a flash of lightning would dimly illuminate the room for a brief moment, allowing Caulifla to blearily peer through hooded lids to catch sight of two lumps on the bed. Mother... Father...

As she neared them, alarm bells started going off in her head, but she was far too fatigued to pay her instincts any heed. She had only one goal in that moment and that was to climb into bed with her beloved parents and finally get a good night's sleep.

She sniffed, her mouth moving upward in a slight scowl. Dammit, my cold is back... Her mouth gaped in a huge yawn. Whatever... It'll be gone by tomorrow.

Caulifla glided her hands over the bedsheets as she climbed upon the mattress, pausing slightly when she felt something warm and slick on the fabric. A leak in the roof? Father will fix it tomorrow. With a small grunt, she crawled over Garlik's unmoving form to settle between her father and mother, pushing her face into Lotuce's back. Her mother was warm but the heat was slowly creeping away. Caulifla did not have the energy to wonder why. Instead, she yawned once more and snuggled against the small of her mother's back. Goodnight, Father. Goodnight, Mother.

xXx

Caulifla sat up in her cot, sweating hard. She clutched her head in what seemed to be agony. Shit... I thought I was over this.

"Sis?" Kale said sotto voce. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes groggily. "Is something wrong?" She lowered her voice. "Was it a nightmare?"

"No," Caulifla lied immediately. "Nothing's wrong, Kale. I just... I just can't shake the feeling that something's about to happen." Well, that wasn't a complete lie. That sinking feeling had been gnawing at her gut all day long.