Krillin and Niya stared, speechless, as they watched the Androids fly closer to Goku with each passing second. Then, the Earthling snapped out of his daze and turned to his unconscious friends.
"Niya," he began, "let's go help the others!"
The saiyan flinched and nodded in agreement, and so, they both flew down to their friends.
As Krillin took out a bag of senzu beans, Niya told him to put it away. "Please," she shook her head. "Save those for later. I can heal them. It's the least I can after doing nothing..." She looked down at her hands, who were still slightly trembling.
Krillin noticed and gave a slow nod. "Alright. But, Niya, don't beat yourself up about it. I understand why you would be scared."
The human had no clue as to why she was so afraid, but Niya gave him a small thankful smile anyways. "Thank you." She then went to Tien, who was closest, and kneeled beside him. She placed her hands over his chest and closed her eyes. A crimson aura began to eminate from her body, and the crimson energy wrapped itself around Tien. He groaned a bit, but his eyes slowly blinked open. Niya noticed, then opened her eyes and pulled her hands away. The crimson energy dissipated after a moment. She smiled at Tien, who sat up, rubbing his head. "Do you feel alright?" she asked him.
Tien looked down at himself then to her, and nodded. "Yes. Thank you."
Niya nodded with a gentle smile before healing Piccolo, Trunks, and lastly, Vegeta, who quickly stood and hurried away from her. Niya simply sighed and got in the circle with the other four, looking weary as she stood next to Trunks.
She somewhat heard their conversation. Piccolo showed his concern over how much the Androids knew about them, and chastised Tien for blaming Vegeta. Piccolo pinned the blame on everyone, saying they had all underestimated the strength of the Androids.
Vegeta was ticked off by the words and blasted off. His son began to take off after him, but Piccolo told him to leave the prince alone. He explained how 18 had damaged his pride and left the prince ashamed. Vegeta was easily defeated, despite his hard training, so he would need to be alone to deal with the shame.
Trunks noticed Niya's condition, and his eyes widened when her eyes drooped and she began to stumble backwards. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest, where she relaxed and leaned against unconscious.
"Damn it, Niya...," Trunks frowned at her.
"Woah! Is she alright?" Krillin asked, walking closer. He pulled out a senzu bean and gave it to Trunks. "Here. This should restore her energy."
Trunks nodded in thanks and carefully fed his friend the senzu bean. Niya's eyes slowly blinked open, and they stared into Trunks' concerned blue ones. "Are you alright?" he asked her gently.
Niya's eyes widened at how close she was to him. She gave a curt nod and quickly pulled away from his arms. She brushed her bangs away from her face and turned shyly to the others. She still felt immense shame at not helping them fight.
"Um, I'm sorry for not joining the fight," she decided to apologize, not bearing their eyes on her. "I let my emotions get the better of me, and I'm sorry!"
Piccolo crossed his arms. "Don't worry about it, Niya. They managed to easily defeat Vegeta and Trunks, going so far as putting Trunks out of commission in one blow. I'm not sure what difference it would have made if you stepped in."
Niya began to shake her head, but then Trunks spoke up. "I agree. But for some reason," he began with clenched fists, "the Androids in this timeline seem to be stronger than the ones in ours." Niya tensed with him, hugging herself tightly.
The other three were surprised at his response. Piccolo stepped closer. "Wait, Trunks, what do you mean?"
Trunks grit his teeth. "Sure, the Androids have always been stronger than me, but... not by this much." He was angry and frustrated at the thought of it, it seemed.
Niya eyed him with weary eyes, but he didn't look at her. He kept his angry eyes glued to the ground. She understood why he was so angry, and it made her sad.
Tien asked what their next move should be, and Piccolo replied by telling the other four to move Goku somewhere safe. But when Krillin asked him what he would be doing, Piccolo frew upset and told them to stop asking questions. He jumped up and sent a blast, saying he would have to do something on his own. He warned them to not follow him but to focus on Goku instead, and blasted off.
Trunks pulled Niya behind him as he protected her from the explosion of the blast. They turned curiously to the others.
Tien was conflicted about Piccolo's actions, but Krillin assured them that Piccolo would be okay, and that he was doing what he thought was necessary. The Namekian was planning of fusing with Kami, as Krillin explained, to grow strong and become a 'Super Namekian'.
When Trunks asked about his father, Tien assured him that Vegeta just needed time to cool off and settled things with himself. He explained that the Prince was never one to run from a fight, so Vegeta was bound to return stronger than ever.
At that, Trunks actually smiled, which made Niya smile in relief as well.
The four of them then took of towards Goku's house to move him somewhere else. According to Trunks, the medicine would heal Goku within ten days, so they needed to keep him safe for that amount of time. They figured it was possible, but Tien left, saying he was going to get Chiatzu to train some more meanwhile.
The two saiyans and the human were left flying towards Goku's house. Krillin then had an idea. "Man, I sure hope Kusuke and his family show up to help. We could sure use it." When he received shocked expressions from the saiyans, he elaborated. "Oh, right, so, Bulma ended up meeting this model who turned out to be a saiyan! She has a husband, a son, and a sister! Pretty crazy, huh?"
Niya's eyes were wide. "And... why aren't they here helping?"
Krillin chuckled. "Well, it turns out Makona is having a kid today! It's understandable that her family would want to be with her."
Niya looked away, biting her thumb. "That's right... How could I forget?"
Krillin looked at her curiously. "Do you know them or something?"
Trunks, now knowing everyone knew he was Vegeta and Bulma's kid from the future, nodded. "Well, Niya and I are kind of in the same boat."
Krillin seemed lost. "I'm not catching on."
Niya sighed. "Krillin, please don't say anything yet," she began unsurely. "That baby that Makona is having today is... me."
After Krillin gave her a shocked look, he chuckled and shook his head. "Well, I can see it now. You do look a lot like Makona. And that jewel you wear is identical to the one Kusuke wears."
Niya nodded hesitantly. "Well, I could go check in on them?"
Trunks was surprised at her answer. "Niya," he turned to her, "You don't have to."
The female saiyan shook her head. "We need help, Trunks. These Androids are too strong," she strained.
Trunks gave in by the firm look in her eyes. "Alright. I'll go with you."
Niya began to shake her head, but Trunks ended up grabbing her hand. She was taken aback by his actions, eyes widening. "... Trunks?"
Krillin stopped to look at them curiously, then smiled sheepishly. "I'll go on ahead. You guys do what you gotta to do." He waved and continued on his path.
Trunks looked into her eyes. "Niya, I know how much you miss them. Seeing them would bring you pain, and I won't let you do this alone."
Niya's eyes softened and she looked away. "Are you sure?" she asked quietly.
Trunks was slightly hurt by her doubt, so he decided to cup her face, which made her gasp and squirm slightly in his grasp. She placed gentle hands on top of his, sorrow-filled eyes boring into his. His eyes softed the longer he gazed at her. "I'm sure," he assured her gently. "I told you I would stay by your side, remember?"
Niya nodded, and slowly, her sorrowful expression softening into a smile. The two smiled for a moment, but then Niya's faltered. "U-Um," she began, pulling his hands away and avoiding his eyes. "W-We should get going then. I sense that they're pretty far."
And with that, she took off, Trunks taking off behind her. As she flew ahead, a blush settled on her face as she thought about the way Trunks held her in his hands. Immediately, she felt guilty.
× × ×
The two saiyans flew in silence until they reached a two-story wooden lodge. They were silent as they reminiscened at the memories the place brought them. The duo landed, Trunks standing behind her, as they approached the door. Niya brought up a shaky hand and knocked.
After a moment of hearing hurried footsteps and hushed voices, the door clicked and swung open. Niya gasped as she was face to face with a tall man with messy, spiky, onyx hair, and kind eyes. It was Naku, her father. "U-Um," she stuttered nervously. "Hi!"
Naku raised a brow at her and eyed the young man behind her. "Oh, uh, hello. Who are--?" But he stopped short as he spotted the red jewel. His eyes widened, and his bewilderment increased. "How do you have that? Who are you?" he asked more seriously, visibly tensing up.
Niya took a step back, accidentally bumping into Trunks, who placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She held her hands up defensively. "U-Um--! I'm not sure how to say this but I'm from the future! A-And that's important because... because I-I'm your daughter!" she told him, placing a hand over her mouth after the words left her mouth.
Naku was shocked at her answer. He stood in the doorway and stared intently at her face. Slowly, his expression softened the longer he gazed. She had wavy, onyx locks like Makona, and their facial features were similar. But, what he noticed clearly, was the parallel in their eyes and long lashes. Her soft and kind demeanor reminded him of a young Makona. And for what other reason could she possibly wear the Red Jewel? There was only one in the existence of the universe. After careful deduction, he gave in and smiled softly at his teenage daughter from the future.
Niya curiously looked at his smile and felt herself relax. "So, do you believe me?" she asked.
Naku nodded. "I don't see why not," he smiled. "But can you tell me your name please? I just need to hear you say it before I can be one hundred percent sure."
"Oh, sure! That's fair," Niya nodded. "My full name is Niyata Briar, but I like being called Niya."
Naku grinned. "So, the name Niya does stick! I can't wait to brag to your mother!"
Niya couldn't help but giggle at his bright and lighthearted energy. Behind her, Trunks smiled quietly.
Naku looked at the young saiyan curiously. "And who may you be?" he pondered curiously. Then a small smirk rose on his lips, "Are you and my daughter dating?"
Trunks and Niya both squirmed awkwardly in place. The young male saiyan scratched the back of his head. "N-No, actually, sir. My name is Trunks Briefs, and I'm from the future as well. Your daughter is my best friend."
Naku nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. Well, nice to meet you, Trunks! Any friend of Niya's is a friend of mine!" he smiled brightly. The young male saiyan chuckled at the similarity of the father and daughter.
"So," Naku began more seriously. "What are you two doing here in the Past? Does it have to do with those Androids the others are fighting today?"
Niya nodded. "Yes. We came to the past three years ago to warn Goku and the others about the Androids," she explained. "Bulma gave you my letter and the medicine, right?"
Naku blinked at her but then dug into his pocket, pulling out a black, leather wallet, and then carefully plucked out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it, crinkling in his hands, and handed it to her. "We did," Naku smiled warmly at her. "We weren't sure who this 'Princess' was who signed the letter, but we were very grateful, thinking it was one of our saiyans from Planet Ayata. But now I see that this Princess is you."
Niya smiled in relief. "I'm glad. And has mom taken the medicine?"
Naku nodded, smiling warmly. "Yes. She's gotten so much better, it makes me so happy to see her this way. She hasn't gotten sick since she's taken the medicine."
Niya smiled. "That makes me happy, too."
After a moment of admiring his daughter, Naku snapped out of his thoughts and gestured behind him. "So, Niya, Trunks, would you two like to step in?"
A pit began to form in Niya's chest, and Trunks felt it, so he placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Actually," she began, fiddling with her fingers, "is Kusuke here? We could really use his help in fighting the Androids. They're very strong..."
Natu sensed her distress and nodded. "Oh, I see," he frowned. "I'll go get him." He soon returned with a thirteen-year-old teen, Niya's older brother, named Kusuke. He, too, had messy, spiky, onyx hair, but his right eye was covered in a thick strand. Just like Krillin had pointed out, Kusuke also wore the exact same black collar with the red jewel chained to it.
However, Kusuke wore his fighting clothes with the theme of onyx and crimson from Planet Ayata. He had black military boots with red tips, spacious black pants, a crimson belt, a black vest lined in a silky crimson with a black tank top underneath, and black fingerless gloves that ended at his wrists. Over his heart, his vest had a crimson crest -- the Royal Family crest of Planet Ayata, home of the other saiyans. Kusuke was a Prince, Niya was a Princess, Natu was a Prince Consort, and Makona was the Queen Regnant of Planet Ayata. Ken-La, Makona's half-sister, was a Princess as well.
Nakusuke, preferably called Kusuke, looked at Niya and Trunks with wide eyes. He turned to his father for reassurance, who nodded, and gazed at his sister, who was just born in his timeline. Kusuke walked closer to Niya, being as tall as to her shoulder, and inspected her curiously. "So, you're my baby sis but from the future? That's so trippy...," he scratched his head, smiling sheepishly.
Niya felt her eyes water and couldn't help but hug him. He was surprised at her embrace, but eventually settled into it, patting her back gently. He could feel the sorrow and pain emanating from her, and it broke his heart. In his timeline, although his baby sister had just been born, he adored her and loved her unconditionally. It hurt to know she was so broken.
When she pulled away, she wiped her face and composed herself. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Are you ready to go?" She forced a small smile.
Kusuke wore a worried expression but shook it away and nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready to finally put my training to use," he smirked.
"Good!" Niya smiled.
Trunks smiled at their enthusiasm. "Well, let's get going then. The others will need all the help they can get."
"Right," Kusuke nodded in agreement. Then he turned to his father. "Tell mom I'll be back as soon as I can."
Natu patted his head. "Of course. Be careful. You too, Niya." He gave his children warm smiles.
"We will," Niya replied with a determined look. She was fighting for a future in which her family would all survive and return safely to Planet Ayata. There was no way she would allow herself to fail.
With that, Trunks and the saiyan siblings took off to where they sensed Goku and the others. It seemed they were on the move. They found them mid-air in a cargo plane. Yamcha, who was flying the plane, saw them wave and let them inside. In the plane was Krillin, Chi-Chi, Gohan, and Goku resting with a pained expression.
Krillin smiled and greeted them. "Hey, you guys caught up! And you brought Kusuke, too! Good to see you, kid."
Kusuke nodded in greeting. "Yo," he waved.
Gohan jumped up and excitedly went up to Kusuke. "Hey, you're here!" Over the past three years, the saiyan boys had become good friends.
"Hey, what's up, Gohan?" Kusuke smiled at the younger boy. He was three years older.
Gohan's smile faded as he pointed to his sick father. "Nothing good. My dad got really sick, and now we have to make sure he's protected from the Androids."
Kusuke nodded. "I hear ya. Trunks and Niya got me caught up on what happened. These Androids seem like a big problem, but I plan to do my best against them so Goku is safe." He placed a hand over his heart. "I promise."
Gohan felt some relief. He really looked up to Kusuke. Although Kusuke didn't use super saiyan, his crimson form, Phase One, was on par with it. He spared against Goku, giving him a good challenge, and helped Gohan and Piccolo.
Natu and Ken-La weren't really fighters, but Makona and Kusuke were. Makona was resting and taking care of her newborn baby, so she wasn't able to join the fight just yet, Kusuke explained.
Chi-Chi warmly thanked Kusuke for his promise and generosity.
Yamcha asked Krillin to call Bulma to let them know that they were going to Kame House, so he did, unwillingly, telling Trunks a joke about how his mother was a pain sometimes.
Bulma answered the call, but requested to speak to her son from the future. Krillin let her know that she was on speaker, so Trunks and everyone else could hear her. Bulma spoke about a man in the countryside encountering a mysterious ship, swearing that it was from Caspule Corp. The man sent a picture of the ship to Bulma, and Bulma sent the picture to Trunks by using a faxing machine. Trunks took the picture, saying that it was his time machine as soon as he saw it. The only exception was that his was much nicer looking compared to the one in the picture. The time machine in the picture was covered in moss, dirt, and had a huge whole on the top. Trunks denied that it was his time machine, taking out his capsule to show he wasn't lying, Niya backing him up.
Trunks then asked where the time capsule was located. Bulma answered, saying that it was West -- Section 1050. Trunks announced that he was going to check out the mysterious time caspule, Bulma saying she'd go too, as well as Gohan. The saiyan siblings decided to stay with Goku for protection.
So, the other two flew out, arriving near their destination, Gohan locating the time capsule first. As soon as Bulma arrived, they further inspected the time capsule. Trunks set out his time capsule next to the beaten-up one, comparing the two. He checked on the old time capsule for the words "Hope!!" and found them.
They then inspected the inside of the old machine, finding two bumpy, purple shells, that Bulma concluded formed an egg shell. Gohan later spotted something in the distance, and they checked the area he was staring at, finding the shed skin of some enormous insect-looking thing. They decided that it was possible that whatever was in the egg, was the insect-thing that shed its skin.
After all they found out, Bulma decided to leave because she feared that the thing that shed its skin was anywhere out in the countryside, or elsewhere. Bulma left, and Trunks and Gohan took their leave to Kame House.
"What a mess this whole situation has turned into," Trunks sighed.
Gohan nodded. "Yeah. Now we have two problems," he replied solemnly.
The two were silent until they reached Kame House. When they got there, they saw some of the gang watching the television attentively.
Niya turned to her best friend, eyes filled with worry as he stepped beside her to also look at the television. "Trunks," she began, placing a hand on his arm and pointing to the television. "We have another problem."
On the screen, they saw pieces of clothing drifting away in the wind. They heard people fleeing in fear, but they were soon silenced. As there was no more sound, the screen was crushed, and the television buzzed in static.
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11-09-2019
Dark secrets shall be revealed next chapter. ^^
</3 x_Alex_chan_x