The Ballad of Neo-Serenity
"..."-Portrays speech
Celipa sat in the training hall, watching Toma spar with Totepo. Her eyes followed their every move, but her eyebrows were furrowed in deep thought. She hadn't seen Bardock since he had told her of the Ou's plan. Even though she knew there nothing Bardock could do to get out of the situation, the tension was still there.
*Why does the Ou have to be such a Bastard.* It had surprised her the Ou had went to such lengths to irritate the hell out of Bardock. However, she wasn't surprised by the fact that Bardock was forced to keep her. Reason #1: The Ou didn't like devoting his time to something, only to have his efforts wasted. Reason #2: The Ou was a womanizing, perverted, old bastard that grabbed any hot-bodied woman he could; whether she was Saiyan or alien, was irrelevant. Celipa shuddered unconsciously at the thought of her Ou finding her attractive. She considered herself a pretty woman, but she would rather be the ugliest woman in the universe than to be in his clutches. She had a strong feeling that the horror stories some 'survivors' told were not myths.
"Celipa", Toma yelled. Celipa awoke from her trance and looked at Toma, who was now sitting beside her. *Funny, I hadn't even noticed they'd stopped.*
"Whatcha thinking about? Bardock perhaps?" Toma hadn't seen Bardock in years and despite their past differences, he kind of missed him. They had been best friends ever since they were kids and it was hard without him.
"Iie, actually I was thinking about how much of an asshole the Ou is." Toma gave a hearty laugh.
Who doesn't think he's an asshole?"
"Those ass kissing elites." Toma nodded with a big grin on his face.
" True, perhaps you'll blow the Ou to pieces, stomp the Ouji, and claim yourself Ouhi, huh?" After a moment of silence, "And maybe me your Ou?", Toma continued to joke.
"Iie, if I ever become Ouhi, which I seriously doubt, I will have no Ou. No man will be my keeper, or tell me where to go, or how to dress and talk. Being Ouhi isn't all it's cracked up to be. You're just there to bear an heir and flash yourself around like the Ou's jewel. My power would be absolute and my word final, I can't have that with an Ou at my side. If I did decide to mate you, you will be my consort, not my Ou."
Toma was shocked at the negativity that came from Celipa, but he smiled nonetheless.
*Kami, this Bardock thing really must have messed her up.* Toma nudged Celipa with his elbow, "Consort works for me. Tell me, what would be my first duty to please, her majesty?" His voice was low and husky, making Celipa shiver. She gave a soft giggle and smiled.
"You're such a hentai, Toma-chan."
He smiled sweetly, "One of my best qualities, one that you seem to love." Celipa looked at Toma dreamily, *He really is adorable sometimes.*
"Stop flirting you two", someone shouted. Panboukin bounded up to them with Totepo behind him. Celipa face reddened with embarrassment as she realized what had just happened.
*Stupid girl, you almost let yourself get sucked in again. Toma has had dozens of girlfriends, you'll just get tossed aside like the rest. *The slave shipment comes in tomorrow, are you sure you got everything set up?" Celipa's eyes darkened and her statement was replaced by a scowl.
"Of course I did, what do I look like, an idiot?", Celipa snapped. Everything was under her supervision and truth be told, the only reason Totepo and Panboukin had gotten mates so early was because Celipa had slipped their names at the top of the list.
Toma crossed his arms and glared at Panboukin. Panboukin just shrugged and tried to look innocent, "What?" Toma continued to glare at him and walked.
*It's bad he interrupts us when we're getting somewhere, but then he goes and ruins Celipa's good mood.* Toma knew Celipa all too well and talking to her in her current state was out of the question. If there was one thing he learned about talking to Celipa, it was timing. He had to talk to her when she was calm and rational, which was very unlikely at the moment. *I'll have wait another day at the least.*
~At the estate of Bardock~
Bardock had just finished folding some dresses in the drawers and hanging some more in the closet. From what he'd heard Chikyuu women were small and petite, so most of the dress were medium sized. Large enough to fit, but not small enough to be uncomfortable. He decided he'd have to bring her to a tailor since the dresses were made to fit Saiyan women. Bardock took one last look at the brightly dresses in closet before he slammed the closet door. He looked around the room and realized how insane this all was. Here he was, a 42-year-old widower, forced to mate a weakling he had never even met before. The very thought of mating an alien made want to punch a hole in wall.
Although half Saiyans did not yet exist, he was sure they would not accepted in any society. Not Saiyan society because they were half Chikyuu-jin and considered weak. Not in any other society because they were half Saiyan and Saiyans were hated as well as feared. All his life he had been taught that there was nothing greater and more powerful than a full-blooded Saiyan. Bardock couldn't stop thinking about how much this went against his beliefs. His sons had been informed shortly after his meeting with the Ou and he was amazed at how well they took it. Radditz looked almost indifferent about the whole thing. However that could have to do with the fact that Radditz liked to fool around with alien women as well as Saiyan. But he was certain his son had never forced himself on any of them. Turles was confused as to why his father had to take another mate. He still didn't understand why Celipa didn't come over anymore. Giving up on explaining it all, he told Turles and Kakarotto that the Ou was sending a woman here to look after them and clean up. They both looked thrilled and smiled at this, thinking about the messes they could make without getting in trouble. Bardock sat on Serenity's bed and rubbed his eyes, *This week's gonna be hell.*
~Somewhere in space: 1 day away from Vejitasei~
Rei sat next to Serenity on her cot, watching her eat. Serenity was brought food and water three times a day and Kazoto allowed her to bring it to Serenity from time to time. But in doing so, she also had to bring food to the Cell at the bottom of the ship and deliver food to high-class warriors door-to-door. Serenity often admired Rei for taking on such tasks since the soldiers did nothing but harass and try to grope her.
"We're arriving at Vejitasei soon." Serenity looked at her puzzled.
"Has it been 6 days already?"
Rei nodded slowly, "Things are going to be worse there." After a moment of silence, "How have you been lately?"
Black eyes met blue, "Me? I'm holding up." That was all she said before she looked at her feet.
"We'll...we'll be together right Rei?", Serenity asked hopefully. Rei gulped and smiled sadly, "I doubt it."
"No", Serenity said and hugged Rei to her. She gave Rei a kiss on the cheek and began to cry. "I just found me, who will help me now?" Rei began to stroke serenity's hair.
"Shhh. You're stronger than you think, you have a survival instinct you never knew you had. Think about it, you've been surviving the hell of his ship and before that, you spent the last few days in a cave without food or water. You can't give up now."
"I can't be without you. You're so strong and brave, stronger than I could ever be."
"Don't say that, go on for me and for yourself. Don't give up because of me, the guilt would kill me. I'm going to tell you something that I never thought I would tell anyone. But the only thing that kept me going was you. If you hadn't been here..." Rei became choked with tears, "Then I would have ended this all a long time ago. When we get off this ship, leave me with the comfort that you're alive and at least one of us is all right. I don't know what your mate will be like, but whatever happens be strong and know I'm with you." Rei held Serenity tighter and began to rock her back and forward.
Sighing Rei thought, *Tomorrow is the beginning of the end.*
In Chapter 10, The beginning is lemony, Celipa prepares for the ship's arrival and the ship's women are prepared for Vejitasei.
