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Strange Happenings At Midnight Carnage Chapter 8 by Fair Drea Somewhere in the house a clock struck midnight. The chimes carried through the bleak silence to the four Saiyans that stood unmoving, staring with a mixture of disbelief and rage at the spot where their friend had once stood. With a strangled cry, Jen sank to her knees, tears collecting in her bright green eyes. She was gone. Her sister and best friend was gone! How could this be happening? Pluto had said the enemy would show themselves one day. Jen should have been expecting something but she was sure as hell not expecting this. "Dad? What is it?" Gohan spoke up behind her. Jen turned to look at Goku, surprised to see raw pain and anger burning in his ebony eyes. She had never seen him like this before. Usually he was so laid back. Even when fighting he wasn't truly angry. But now? Now he looked like someone completely different. He de-transformed. "I can't sense her anywhere." He stated in a lifeless voice. "What do you mean?" Jen asked, forcing herself to stand and face Goku. "I mean I can't sense her. It's like she disappeared or." Vegeta shook his head. "Don't even think it Kakarott. She's fine." He reassured the taller Saiyan. Goku gave him a startled look. "How do you know that?" "She knows." Vegeta answered, throwing a pointed look at Jen. Goku looked down at Jen. She looked about as terrible as he felt. Did she feel sick to her stomach with dread like he did? He was almost tempted to ask but he didn't. Maybe now was just a good time to keep his feelings to himself. "You know she's okay?" Jen gave a harsh. "She's alive." Her voice sounded so hollow. "She's my sister, of course I know." "Jen-." Vegeta started, placing a concerned hand on her shoulder. Jen moved away from his touch and hastily brushed away the few tears that had started to slide down her cheeks. She faced the three men, her lips set in a thin line of determination. "He said one week. We're going to get her back way before a week is through. I'm going to call Serena. You three see if you can trace that 17 guys Ki-." "We can't." Goku interrupted her. Jen's eyes narrowed. "Why not?" "17 is an android. He doesn't have a Ki signature. He's impossible to track." Vegeta explained. "What about that woman with him?" "Nothing. She may also be an android." Jen resisted the urge to scream in frustration. Tempting..but she couldn't afford to loose her composure. Drea needed her right now. She took a deep breath and slowly released it. "I'm still calling Serena. Maybe Amy can help out or..something. I don't know." She looked at Goku and sympathy softened her features. "We'll find her. I promise." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Jen trudged down the hallway, fatigue in her every step. Dark bruises shadowed her bloodshot eyes. She entered the living room and her eyes scanned the bodies of the Sailor Scouts sprawled out across the floor. Four days, four days they had been searching and were still nowhere near finding Drea. It was almost as if she had ceased to exist. But Jen knew that wasn't true. In her heart she could feel the warmth of her sisters life and knew that she was still alive somewhere. The only question was where? With a deep sigh she turned to go to the kitchen but was stopped by muffled noises coming from outside. She listened carefully, her acute Saiyan hearing coming to her aid. It sounded like there was fighting going on and she knew right away who was involved. Shaking her head sadly, she turned away from her original destination and, instead headed for the front door. After turning on the porch light, she stepped out into the brisk night air and right away pulled down the long sleeves of her sweater. Then she tilted her head back, her green eyes focusing on the two fighters in the sky above her. Goku and Vegeta had been doing this every night since Drea's "kidnapping." It was Goku's way of dealing with it. According to Vegeta the gentle Saiyan had never dealt with so many emotions before. The anger, the fear, the self- blame..he had to vent somehow or the poor man would go crazy. Bright light suddenly filled the sky around her and Jen flinched as Vegeta's body slammed into the ground before her. A loud curse broke through the night seconds later as the Saiyan prince picked himself up and brushed the dirt from his sinfully tight spandex. "Hey sexy." Jen said, somewhat startled to hear how weak her voice sounded. Vegeta turned to face her and gave her a tired smirk. "Still refusing to sleep woman?" The raven-haired beauty nodded. "Hey Goku." She greeted the other man as he landed beside Vegeta and lowered his power level, bringing back the black hair and anguished onyx eyes. His only reply was a tiny incline of his head. Jen's heart went out to him. How could it not? He was suffering if not as much as her then more. She walked over to him and leaned up, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him the comfort words could not. "She's still alive. I know she is." Goku backed away from Jen and tried to smile but couldn't manage it. "We've got three days left." He felt something sting the back of his eyes and quickly turned away before anyone could see the proof of just how miserable he was. He took a deep, unsteady breath and stared up into the moonless sky. 'God, Drea where are you?' "Goku?" Jen called softly behind him. He faced her and again saw that unwavering look in her eyes, the unwillingness to be defeated. "I'm getting my sister back." She said simply. The words were few but they buoyed his confidence. He nodded. "I know." Jen released a sigh of relief, glad that she was able to break through Goku's sorrow, even if it was only for a moment. She stifled a yawn before speaking again. "Okay. It's been four days so I'm woman enough to admit that I am freakin' tired. If we're going to get an early start in the morning I suggest we get some sleep." Both men silently agreed and followed her inside. After saying goodnight to Goku and parting ways, Vegeta lifted his mate in his arm and cradled her body close to his as he carried her down the hallway to his bedroom. "Are you doing okay?" he asked, feeling safe to drop his guard around Jen once everyone else was gone. Jen shook her head and her eyes once again filled with tears. "I want to find her Vegeta. I know she's alive..but just barley. It's like she's hanging on by a thread. If we don't find her tomorrow.." He voice drifted off as her mind unwillingly conjured up horrid images of the torture her sister was undergoing. Vegeta entered the bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them, quickly crossing the floor and laying Jen down on what he now considered "their" bed. He dried her tears and stroked her silky black hair with his blunt fingertips. "I don't know what to tell you that will make you feel better." He said honestly, hating the vulnerable look that swam in her eyes. Jen offered him a wobbly smile. "Hold me." She whispered. "Just hold me." And he did. Moments later they fell into a much-needed sleep. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Drip, drop, drip, drop. The sound was driving her crazy. The water, coming from god-knows-where continually splashed onto the cold stone that lined her dark cell. Drea shifted her weight to the leg she hadn't been sitting on, the only one that hadn't gone numb yet. Large splotches of blood soaked her pajama pants and her hair hung in dirty strings around her face. She looked down at the large gashes that adorned her arms, the arms that were chained to the floor from her "bracelets." Where else had they beaten her? Where else hadn't then? She couldn't even keep track anymore. All she knew was that her life was slowly slipping away from her. With every second that past, a part of her died. Her hope, her determination, her bravery, it was almost all gone now, but still she held on. She didn't know why. They had explained her situation to her over an over again. The bands, cursed things that they were, not only kept her form using her powers but it also cloaked her Ki signature, making it impossible to read. There was no chance in hell that they would ever find her. Not unless she could find a way to them. And even then, her captors had explained to her that she was just bait. A trap set for her friends and family. It was something she had been thinking about all day. How can I lead them to me without those two finding out? How can I make my location known to them? And her answer had come. After one particularly vicious whipping her answer had come. She liked to think of it as her reward for enduring her beating without making a sound. A rat scurried by her and she smiled at it. The little thing was free. Why shouldn't she feel good for it? Its situation was a lot better then hers. The barred door to her cell swung open, soft candlelight filled the room, and 17 and his "Mistress of Destruction" entered. Drea didn't even acknowledge their presence. "Not happy to see us? Aww, why not?" 17 asked in mock hurt. He reached down and roughly grabbed her chin in his hand, yanking her face up. "You will look at me when I speak to you." Drea smiled, ignoring how her lips cracked painfully. "Sorry. I guess I was just afraid that looking at such an ugly face would either make me go blind or insane." She stated matter-of-factly. His fist came down on her face and she went flying back against the wall. "If I were you, I would watch my mouth bitch. I said a week but I will kill you much sooner if that's what you wish." To this she said nothing. What could she say? That she wanted to die? That she didn't care? That was a lie. She wanted to live, to see Jen and Goku again. Hell, even Vegeta would have been a welcome sight compared to this. The dark haired man snickered and sat down on the bed against the wall, placing the candle he held on the crude bedside table. "That's what I thought." He motioned to his companion and she sat down next to him. Drea sneered at the couple. "Who the hell is she anyway?" She asked, hoping to get some information out of the guy. If things went the way she hoped they would tonight, any little fact may help her. 17 regarded her with a truly evil smile. "You mean..you don't remember Alleona here?" Drea shook her head and saw pure hatred flash in the dark woman's eyes. "That's a shame. Have you killed too many people that you don't even recognize your victims anymore? Drea, again, shook her head slowly. "I don't understand." "And why would you?" Alleona asked, speaking for the first time. Her voice was deep and husky but also held a hidden note of menace. "Everything was explained to you but the one thing that mattered." She slowly rose and crossed the floor to Drea, leaning over the blond with a malicious look in her fathomless eyes. "Did you honestly think that your Queen was the only one who was able to make fanciful wishes? My Queen could do the same thing, little protector. Honestly, you Saiyans are so na�ve." Drea jerked away from the woman, staring at her like she was insane. "What the hell are you talking about?!" "I was Beryl's lead General. The one she trusted with her life. Was..until you and your little black haired friend killed me. Blasted me away as if I were nothing. A pity for you that as your Queen made a wish, mine did as well. She wished to send me here, to this pitiful planet." A sneer twisted her face. "I was more or less dead thanks to you. But 17 found me. He found me and saved me, using technology to rebuild my body to its former state." 17 laughed manically. "And what's so great about this situation is that Alleona never lost her mystical powers. They remained intact. And as you know, that little fact makes us the deadliest pair to walk this earth. That can't possibly be a good thing for you and your weakling friends." Drea swallowed the fear that welled up inside her and tried to look as if their threats meant nothing to her. She knew that this was going to be Frieza and Beryl all over again. Maybe even worse considering the fact that these two were androids, not actual flesh and blood humans. 'Hello Armageddon.' She thought bitterly. She watched as the two stood to take their leave. 'Good.' She muttered internally. The sooner they were gone the sooner she could carry out her plan. 17 reached down, sliding his fingers over the curve of her bruised jawbone. Drea's eyes narrowed with repulsion and she quickly jerked away from him. The dark haired android grabbed the chains that bound her to the stone floor and gave a hard yank. Drea fell forward with a startled yelp, her face stopping an inch away from his. His free hand crawled up the back of her neck, fingers digging painfully into the tender flesh. "Sleep well. You're going to need your rest when morning comes. I've decided to switch from whips to something a little more agonizing." He abruptly released her and straightened. "Sweet dreams." The door slammed shut behind them as they left, taking the dim light with them. There came the sound of a key grating in the lock and then nothing, nothing but the maddening silence. "God, I have to get out of here now." Drea muttered to herself, and maybe the little rat if he was still there. She was terrified of what would happen if she didn't make it out of there tonight. What torture would they perform upon her come morning? Collecting her thoughts, she carefully crossed her numb, beaten legs underneath her and laid her hands on her knees, palms up. She willed all of the stinging pain away and relaxed her shoulders. Minutes later she sank into deep meditation, her mind focusing on one thing. Her sister. *~*~ Jens Dream ~*~* Jen walked slowly through the dense forest. Fog swirled around her feet, glowing in the pale moonlight. Dew soaked the hem of her scarlet nightgown as she continued making her way through the trees. She knew where she was going, oddly enough. Somewhere an owl hooted its mournful cry. It brought a serene smile to her lips. Then a voice sang softly in a tune that called out to her heart. She followed it. Moments later she stepped into a clearing. A deep pool graced the center of the large clearing. The moon sparkled over the glass-like surface. A woman sat in the center, her white, silk-clad body floating above the water. Silver blonde hair flowed over her back, shifting as the woman lifted her head. Slowly, her legs unfolded and the woman stood and turned to face her. "Hello sister." Drea murmured with a welcome smile. Jen gasped and moved to the edge of the water. The cold liquid caressed her toes. "Drea!" she cried, joy filling her heart. The blonde laughed and quickly moved forward, enveloping Jen in a warm hug. "Oh, I have missed you." She whispered, stroking the raven silk of Jen's hair. Jen moved away from her sister, giving her a confused look. "I'm dreaming." She stated in disappointment. Drea nodded. Her hands came out and took a hold of Jen's. "Yes. You are." "How is it that you're here?" "I'm meditating. I had to get in touch with you somehow. Through the bond we share, this is the only way I could think of to communicate with you. Thank god you're my sister." Jen smiled ruefully. "No kidding. So where are you? We've been searching for you everywhere." Drea took a step back and gestured to a blanket that had suddenly appeared on the grass beside them. "Sit and I'll tell you as much as I can." They moved to the blanket, each situating their nightgowns around them. "So?" Jen questioned pointedly. Drea sighed and tilted her head back, studying the stars. "I haven't seen them in four nights." She said wistfully. "The bracelets Jen, it's because of them you can't find me. They cloak my ki signature, basically making me invisible. I don't know where I am exactly. But I do know a way that you can find me." Jen sat forward eagerly. "How? When?!" Drea laughed softly. "Calm down." She sat in silence for a moment, thinking of how to word the sentence so that Jen would not suspect the true meaning of what she was going to do. "You have to wake up after this Jen. You have to. I don't have much time. They'll come for me in the morning." As she spoke, cuts crawled up her skin, her nightgown began to fade, replaced by the blood stained pajamas. Jen gasped in horror at her sister. "Drea..what's happening to you?" she choked out. Drea shook her head fiercely. "Ignore it and listen carefully to what I have to say. When you wake up, go outside and wait. I'll give you a signal. You'll know it when you feel it. I will only be able to show you for a brief second so be ready for it." Jen's head shook slowly back and forth, her eyes widening as she watched her sister transform before her eyes. Gone was the elegant white gown, the long flowing blonde hair. Her glossy locks now hung in dirty, blood soaked strands around her bruised face. "Oh god." Jen whispered, her eyes filling with tears. Is this what they were doing to her? Drea smiled sadly and reached out to her, brushing away a tear that had started to drift down her cheek. "Don't worry about me. Focus on what you have to do." She whispered, standing and walking backwards to the water. "And Jen..tell Goku I love him. I will always love him." Something in the way she said it caused the meaning of her words to finally sink in. She remembered the cuffs, what pain they had caused her sister when she had tried to defend herself against the dark haired man. Drea was going to risk her life! "Drea no." Jen sobbed. "It's the only way Jen. Even if you don't get to me in time at least you'll still be able to stop them." She whispered. Her body shimmered and then it disappeared. *~*~*~*~* Jen jerked up in bed, her heart hammering in her chest. Tears streamed down her face unnoticed. "Drea." She whispered. "What is it woman?" Vegeta asked groggily beside her. Jen didn't hesitate for one second as she jumped out of bed and grabbed her clothes, hastily throwing them on. "We need to get outside. Right now." Vegeta sat up and gave her an irritated look. "What the hell is so important outside?" Jen paused to look at him. "Drea is going to show me where she is." Vegeta's arched a brow sardonically. "And how is she going to do that?" Jen's patients snapped. "Veggie, I love you but get your arrogant ass out of bed right now. If we don't find her fast enough, she's going to die." Vegeta grumbled little but moved quickly enough. Shoving the blankets back, he got out of bed and grabbed the clothes he had been wearing earlier off the back of the chair sitting in the corner. "How do you know this?" He asked, pulling his shirt on and following his mate out into the hallway. Jen moved fast, with purpose. "She came to me in a dream. I..I saw what they did to her Vegeta. We need to get to her before it's too late." She passed Goku's door and knocked hard. "Goku! Get up. You're girlfriend's going to help us save her." They were barley past the door when it swung open and Goku joined them in the hallway. His clothes were seriously rumpled. He must have gone to bed in them. Gohan joined them a second later, surprising Jen. His appearance didn't seam to shock the other two Saiyan's at all so she dismissed it. They moved quickly, rousting the Sailor scouts and in less then a few minutes they were all standing outside. They stood in silence, their breath coming out in thin white clouds. Goku looked skeptically at Jen. "How are we supposed to find her?" "She's going to show us." Jen said softly. She turned to look at the tall Saiyan. "She said she could only show me for a second. I don't know how we're supposed to get to her fast enough." Jen murmured. For the first time since her startled waking she began to doubt Drea's course of action. What if it didn't even work? What if she died before they could get to her? "If you'll allow me to, I can read your thoughts. When Drea shows herself I'll simply find your thoughts that are linked to her and use instant transmission to get to her." He said, hope evident in his tone. Jen nodded. Anything to find her sister. "Go for it." She murmured. Goku nodded and placed a hand gently to her head. "Everyone, put your hand on the shoulder of the person ahead of you and get ready." He studied Jen with dark eyes. "Just let me know when." *~*~*~*~*~*~* Drea slowly rose to her feet, gritting her teeth against the pain that seamed to surround her. She had only a limited amount of time and no room for mistakes. Jen had to be outside with everyone by now. She could sense them, barley. "No time for doubts Drea." She whispered to herself, clutching her hands tightly at her side. Maybe if she did it fast enough, she wouldn't feel any pain. She laughed humorlessly at that thought. "No pain my ass." She muttered. Like she was that lucky. She took a deep breath. This was it. A golden aura quickly surrounded her as she powered up, willing the pain to wait. Her hair glowed silver and her eyes burned bright green. She made the transformation and the pain hit, clawing into her mercilessly. Still she pushed on. She threw her head back and released a blood-curdling scream. Raw power exploded around her, filling the room with harsh light. She forced herself to the limits, knowing she should stop but not being able to. This was her only chance. And if she was going to go out, it was going to be with hell of a bang! She amazingly reached the transformation to Super Saiyan two and suddenly it was too much. She could no longer try to force away the pain that seamed intent on destroying her. She only hoped she had given them enough to find her. Her hair and eyes quickly returned to normal. She stood for a second, gazing in sheer agony at the ceiling above her. Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she pitched forward, hitting the hard floor with a dull thud. *~*~*~*~*~* "There!" Jen yelled, feeling Drea's energy fill her being. She saw her sister transforming, felt her pain as if it were her own. Her heart cried out to Drea but her mind forced her to speak. "Now!" Goku quickly found Drea through Jen's thoughts and raised his fingers to his forehead. "Here we go." Colors swirled into dark grays and blacks and they found themselves on an island. A dilapidated stone structure loomed above them, it's figure ominous in the clouded darkness. "She's inside somewhere." Jen said, shaking off the disorientated feeling that seamed to come with instant transmission. "We have to get to her." They moved forward and suddenly the walls of the formidable structure came to life. Dark, sinister looking creatures leapt forward. There had to be at least a hundred of the scaly beings. Serena grabbed Jen's shoulder. "We'll hold them off. Find Drea." She said, her sparkling blue eyes pleading with Jen to be quick. Jen quickly embraced her princess. "Be safe." She murmured. Then she turned to Goku, Gohan and Vegeta. "Let's find our Drea." "I'll stay here and help. You guys go on." Gohan said, running off to join the Sailor Scouts. Jen nodded. "We're wasting time. Let's go." [ Previous | Next Chapter ] |
