(Flashback/Dream)
The pitch black of the room hid everything. Nothing seemed able to penatrate the darkness. The boarded windows on the celing seemed to be covered with cement. There was no light switches, no way to get excape. No way in or out could be seen, felt or heard.
With the darkness came silence. Silence filled every corner of the room. No windows at hand to open to let in fresh air or the sounds of animals outside. The darkness and silence was like a tight blanket wrapped around the shaking figure in the corner.
The figure raised a shaky hand and powered up enough to form a small strob orb on the tip of her index finger. It binked continueouly until the sound of machinery hit her pointed ears. As quickly as it had came the sound died off with the orb of light. The figure sank deeper into the corner.
She shivered, an intence cold filled the room. It stung her eyes and skin. Her eyes watered as she tried to open them. The figure hugged her knees and clenched her teeth. The thin, simple white tank-top like dress she was wearing was no help to keep her warm.
'Jigoku...this must be jigoku...' was the only thing running through her mind as she rubbed her hands on her upper arms. Still the cold stayed to torment her. Her breath came out in large fluffy white clouds. Her ears twitched, trying to catch a sound, yet nothing came.
Her ears rang, her blood sounding like a huge drum being pounded in her in them. A thousand drum beats seemed to fill the air. The figure put her hands to her ears. She rubbed the back of them slowly. Her ears ached due to trying to listen and only having silence plug them.
Nothing made sense to her wheirling mind. It keep running in circles. Thinking one thing, then changing to another the next second. Her mind finally able to think of other things, yet hell stayed close to the front. She put her arms around her knees again and lowered her head.
A smirk started playing on her lips. She raised her hand and formed the strob ball again. The loud wheril of machinery came back into the room and filled it from wall to wall and floor to celing. "Hahaha!!!" The figure started laughing hysterically. Slowly the strob orb brightened. The contents of the room could now be seen. A large canapy bed sat in the middle of the room. Its black satin coverings glistened as light touched it. The dark cherry coloring of the furnishings was almost black. It reminded her of dried blood.
Suddenly a door, like that on a UFO, opened infront of her. The bright yellowish light blinded her. The strob orb dissapated, yet the figure in the light coming from the door in the wall didn't move. The figure in the corner cringed when the other finally moved.
Slowly the door behind the figure fell to the floor and floresant light came on as the figure raised a hand. Sin stud looking around. His blond hair brushed his shoulders. She knew he wanted something, something only her husband was to have, and knew exactly what that something was. She moaned and tried to make herself invisable.
As soon as her friends left, he had locked her away in the room she was in now. He never said why, the only thing he did say was that she couldn't power up or speak or the security would kill her. The machine noise alerted a creature stronger than she was, and she was surprised to see Sin instead. She hadn't antisapated his appearance, he always did things to keep her on her toes.
She watched silently as he slowly inched toward her. All of a sudden the black satin bed looked mightly confertable to her. Her eyes drooped with fatigue, her head lulled back and forth. Without notice Sin stopped infront of her.
"Ut ah, no sleeping Leela." Sin smirked as he lifted her head to see her face, then made her stand. Her mind stopped working again, and only a picture of Lotanks stayed at the back of her mind. Tears sprang to her eyes as Sin bent foreward and kissed her roughly on the lips. She knew what was happening, she had been waiting for this moment, dreading the day that it would finally happen. With her back against the wall, she could do nothing to stop him.
Yet he surprised her again, but still had the same thing in mind. He picked her up and walked over to the black satin covered bed. He laid her down gently, then sat down next to her. The lights darkened as he pulled himself ontop of her.
(Three Months Later...)
Leela sat subdued watching Lothen play with his ABC block. Sin had finally let her out of the bedroom, so she spent almost all her time watching her son. At first both were reluctant to let go of each other, neither wanted to be seperated again, but in the end Lothen settled down and let Leela put him down.
Lothen, who was now a little under a year, started humming to himself. Leela smiled slightly and started humming with him. It was the lulliby she had thought up the first night she had arrived at Sin's house to put Lothen to sleep. She started singing the words low so only Lothen could hear it.
"Hush now, my baby. Be still love, don't cry. The noises you heard, were all in your head. They like to come out when you dream." It was a sad, slow melody. The sun danced through the leaves of the tree they were sitting under, casting dancing shadows across them. The smells of fall were in the air around them. "So sleep now, my baby. No tears love, tonight. No monster or beast in your closet or bed. They only come out when you dream." Lothen looked up at Leela and smiled.
"Kimi wo aishiteru, Kaasan." He got up and hugged her. She hugged him tight letting a couple of tears slide down her cheeks.
"I love you to, Lo-san." She smiled and breathed in his scent. He always seemed to smell of fresh rain, it made her marvel at the irony. He was born on a rainy day and she loved the smell. Rain had started falling outside the cave just seconds after he was born. In a way, it calmed her and made her feel safe and loved. After a few minutes she broke the embrace, but continued to craddle him in her arms.
"The land of nod is calling, the sandman is overdue. So many things are waiting for you. Close your eyes my little tenshi, think of all the things you want to see. In your dreams, things always come true. You can be whatever you want to be. You can go anywhere you want to go and see whatever you want to see. Everything is up to you." The soft melody put Lothen to sleep. Leela smiled down at the sleeping boy in her arms, not noticeing a shadow creep up behind her. She kissed Lothen's forehead and leaned back against the tree behind her. Slowly the peaceful feeling began slipping away. She could now tell someone was behind her.
"Your progressing nicely." The voice seemed like ice and sent chills up her spine.
"What do you mean Sin?" Her anger started to flare, making the Majin "M" on her forehead turn red.
"I know a breeding woman when I see on." Sin smirked as Leela looked behind her and gave him a puzzled look.
"Destiny's hungry." Lothen shifted and rubbed his eyes.
"Oh Kami...no...." She closed her eyes with a groan. Sin stepped up to her, put his index finger under her chin and lifted her face. When she opened her eyes she was looking into his cold col-bolt blue ones.
"You are mine now, Destiny proves it." There was a mocking tone to his voice, cold and smooth as marble. A shudder went through her body as he stepped back, smirked and walked away.
"I....can't believe this." She wanted to scream out in rage, to curl up in a ball and die, but life goes on.
A year and a half later Kin and Kiyoshi followed Destiny, the link Sin created grew.
(End of Flashback/Dream)
Leela sat down heavily on the couch as she walked into her home. Silence filled the air around her. She looked around, expecting to see Kin chasing Des down the hall or Ki sitting quietly as he watched TV. She could hear their laughter and see shadows of the past seven months, yet nothing was there.
Her chest hurt as she thought of their smiling faces. Her mind wondered defiantly back to earlier that day.
(Flashback)
Leela streched and opened her eyes. She still sat on the window seat, but everyone had left. Leela frowned as she slipped off the seat and went to the door. Voices floated into the room from the other side. Not quite low enough to keep her from hearing.
"You know Koshi-sama, it looks like we've lost another member of the "Nation". I mean, she's a mother of 6! AND she's assimilated into that position and life style. She either doesn't want to remeber or has forgotten her Majin Pride. Look at her! She's pitiful!"
"No, I'll not lose another one. We've lost her Leeli and finally found out missing member. We've lost her twice, we'll not lose her again Mameko." Koshi's voice was cold as usual, but it surprised Leela that she had said such a thing. Koshi had told her, not more then seven months ago, that she wouldn't help her again. Leela stud frozen at the door.
"Koshi-sama, please, she doesn't deserve that mark!" It was Tsuko's turn to introvene.
"Majin is a life time commitment, I'm not changing the rules." Koshi's reply was more like a command than and answer.
"So...how are we gonna keep her here this time Oujasama?" Muzai's voice held a frown, and caused chills to go up Leela's spine.
"We can't keep her in this dimension, but we have to strenghten our hold on her, or we'll lose her like we did her sister." Tsuko replied with a strange tone of voice. The chills came back, worse then the last. Leela shivered then growled deep in her throat.
'How could they be discussing this! I've been loyal and I still have my pride! I have many types of pride, more then they ever will!" She frowned as she listened to the majins discuss her future. 'I'm a Saiya-jin, a Namekian, a majin, a mother, a wife, a friend, a teacher, a leader, a follower, a daughter, a sister and a worrier! Each has its own pride.' She thought of all the things she had pride in a frowned. "But I have lost pride...in myself."
She realized, with surprise, that they were right. She closed her eyes and brought forth the majin's M onto her forehead. She felt stronger with it, but it frightened her. She shook her head to clear it and touched the mark. It started glowing blood red, Leela withdrew her hand and frowned at the door. She remebered all to clearly how they had practicly forced the M on her. She hadn't complained, and it wasn't all that bad to have it when she knew Leeli was also part of the 'Nation'.
Leela growled again with a grimce and walked over to the couch the majins had vacated. She laid down on it with her hands behind her head. So many things came to mind, and just as quickly left. She frowned deeper and closed her eyes, not wanting to be anything anymore.
'I need to train, Tsuko and Maks-san are right. I'm to weak to be anything.' She thought of the harsh words the two had said and felt a weight on her heart.
"I don't care what they say, I'll always be a majin, but I have to stop fate...now and by any means possible." She punched the pillow under her head and opened her eyes to stare up at the celing.
"That's the Leela I know." A cool voice sent chills running back up Leela's spine. She sat bolt up-right and stared at Koshi who had entered the room unnoticed by the half Namekian.
"Koshi-sama, I didn't hear you come in." Leela gave a stiff bow as she got up.
"Sit back down." Leela sat back down instantly and lowered her eyes. "Now explain to me why you need to stop Fate." Koshi took a seat across from her and stared at the M on Leela's forehead.
"She has my children, but as Tsuko and Maks-san have said already, I'm weak, too weak to do anything." She clenched her teeth together and let her nails bit into her palms.
"I see, and just what do you plan to do about it?" Koshi's voice held a challange and a threat, but Leela narrowed her eyes and frowned as she glanced up at her.
"The only thing I can do, train....then kill he." Koshi's eyebrow raised at Leela's tone. A smirk slowly appeared on Koshi's face as she studied her a moment.
"You have more guts then I thought, all I ask...it that you remain true to that mark," Koshi touched the M on Leela's forehead with her forefinger as she spoke. It felt like a flame had touched it, but Leela didn't flinch. "And come back to us as you have twice before. I won't dispute your loyalty as the others seem to want to do. We need everyone we have to stick together, like in the old days." Koshi got up and turned to leave but paused then turned towards her. "Oh byt the way, Meeli and Meela will be trained, mentally and physically to efficently use their marks." She paused then turned away. "Wether by you or us...the choice is yours." Koshi left Leela to ponder on her words.
In a flash she remebered passing the majin M onto the young and innocent minds of her young daughters. That had been when she had learned to withdraw the mark from her forehead untill it was needed. The marks had disappeared from their tiny foreheads just as soon as they had appeared.
'How...' She blinked and stared after Koshi. 'Wait, I must not of been paying much attention to the twins when I came back. And I haven't seen them around the majins that often either.' She frowned heavily at her lack of understanding of her daughters.
'I don't think Koshi-sama knows about the other children having the marks. Theirs don't appear and disappear like mine and the twins. Theirs only appear when they're angry or really upset.' She thought and tried to remember the first time she had seen that happen.
(Beginning Of New Memory)
Leela watched silently as Destiny chased Lothen. They were only two and three so they were running on wobbly legs. She couln't laugh or smile at them, she was powerless to do anything but watch. Her body hated the feeling.
"Lo-en!" Destiny stopped with her hands out streached to the disappearing form of her brother. "Ani!" She started crying and fell to her bottom. Leela faught with the restraint on her mind. She wanted to run to her daughter and sooth her tears away. She frowned and looked at Lothen.
"Lothen! You've made her cry, stop it now." The command was machanical sounding and emotionless. Lothen stoped, turned and went to Destiny. Destiny pushed Lothen away as he tried to help her up, got up and dusted herself off. She turned her back on him with an angry scowl on her little face. Leela stared at the M on her forehead, but as soon as she blinked it was gone.
"Baby" Lothen crossed his arms with a frown.
"Not baby!" Destiny's face went red as she stomped off.
"Gaki" He said under his breath with a scowl on his face. The M was on his forehead and gone the same way Destiny's had. Leela didn't like it.
"Ah, I see you've noticed my little secret." Leela turned her head in time to see Sin stop next to her. "I've made sure the powers you have were copied into them." He paused, a smirk coming onto his face. "These two also have it, they'll show it soon." He pointed to the babies sleeping in a twin holding stroller. She looked down at Kiyoshi and Kin who were only a few months old and frowned deeply.
'Not good.' Was all she was able to think. "How?" She didn't look away form the faces of her tiny boys.
(End of Both Memories)
Leela got up and went to the kitchen. Her head and body ached. She opened the fridge and found the "Merinoff Ice" beer that had somehow ended up in her shopping bags. With a shrug she took it out, popped the top, and closed the fridge door.
"Not bad..." She mumbled after taking a drink. Somehow it tasted like lemonade. A two more drinks and she put the rest down the drain. It was a good drink, but she didn't want to wonder down that path. She went back to the fridge and pulled out a rootbeerl. As she opened it there was a knock on the door.
"Who could that be?" No one knew where she had moved her house. She had moved it to Lotanks' dimension in a small forest clearing. It puzzled her that someone was at her door as she went to it. The person knocked again just as Leela reached it. She opened it and blinked.
"Hey" To her surprise Lotanks was the one standing infront of her. She stepped aside and let him in.
"Hey sweety." She smiled as she closed the door behind him.
"Why did you disappear like that love?" He looked worried and his calling her "love" was a clear indicaiton to her that he was.
"I uh...heard the others talking and came home." She turned her head, lowered her eyes and hugged herself. He gathered her in his arms and held her tight.
"Don't listen to them. You're one of them, I can't help that, but that doesn't mean you have to take their crap." Leela smiled and put her arms around him.
"Don't worry, it was just talk, and I'm gonna prove them wrong." Her voice was calm to her surprise.
"You do that." He smiled and took her to arms lenght. "Hey lets go out. We haven't been out on the town for ages."
"Your right." She laughed. "I feel so old but ok, just let me go change." She gave him a quick kiss and went to her room. A moment later she came out wearing a pair of shorts and a light purple top that tied in the back and at the nap of her neck. As usual she also wore her purple bandana.
"You don't look old to me." Lotanks smiled. She smiled back and gave him a light tap on the head.
"You don't count." She teased.
"Oh really?" He smirked, gathered her in his arms again and kissed her. For that moment all her worries melted away.
"I hate it when you do that." She laughed and pushed away.
"Sure you do." He tease back as she picked up a small purse.
"One question Lo-kun, where are the kids?" Leela was about to open the door but turned towards him instead.
"Mi and Ma are staying the night at a friends house and Nickon agreed to watch Lothen." He opened the door and smiled. Leela gave a sigh of relief and followed Lotanks out the door.
A few minutes later they were at a local club. "We haven't been here in ages." Leela smiled at the familure building.
"Do you remeber the first time we were here?" Lotanks put his arms around her shoulders.
"You had made me mad and had gotten me to chase you inside just because I said no when you asked me out." She laughed as they entered the building and got onto the dance floor. Leela couldn't help but think of her three stolen children. They danced for awhile, Leela not really focusing on anything untill a slow song came on.
"I'll fill those canyons in your soul, just ask it will be done, I'll prove my love." The song played for a few minutes and Leela was sorry it had to end. More songs came and went as the night went on. Only everlasting in heart and memory.