Disclaimer: DragonBall and DragonBall Z were created by Akira Toriyama and is copyright © Toei Animation and FUNimation. No infringement is intended.
Chapter 18
Six Feet from the Edge
"Stop!" A young man's voice rang out over the tiled expanse. It carried a tone of authority that even the maddened Mai couldn't ignore. All three combatants turned their heads towards the speaker.
Dende strode down the walkway between the trees. His face was set into a slight frown. His hands were fisted at his sides, but his movements were smooth and controlled. Mr. Popo trotted along behind him. The black dijin shook his head at Piccolo's scowl. "Mr. Popo tried to stop him, but he would not listen."
The Guardian came to a stop some distance away from the three. He kept his gaze on Mai, though it was Piccolo he addressed first. His words were calm and commanding. "There's no need for that, Piccolo. Ease off."
Piccolo grunted, as much protest as he allowed himself for the moment. There were times he recognized Dende expected to be obeyed without question. This was one of them. He allowed the ki to dissipate, though he couldn't relax completely.
Dende seemed to accept that as enough. He kept his eyes on Mai and spoke to Brussi in the same manner. "Your friend isn't aware of what she's doing. This is a very delicate time. If you value her at all, then you must trust me and do as I say."
Brussi snarled at the directive. She didn't like his tone or his implication. She glanced at Mai again. The Namek woman twitched like some trapped animal, her gaze fixed on the newcomer. But Brussi remembered Mai's eyes and how her friend had reacted. The older woman wondered if this was what had happened with Dorei. If so, she now understood why the others had been terrified of escaping with them. Brussi nodded to the Guardian.
"Good. Now... no aggressive actions, either of you, understand?" asked Dende. He took their silence as agreement. Still gazing directly at Mai, he took a few slow steps toward her.
A growl sounded low in Mai's throat. To the surprise of Piccolo and Brussi, the young woman began to retreat slowly on hands and knees. Her lips curled back and her nails scraped over the tile. Beads of sweat trailed down her face, mixing with the drying blood. Her skin shivered at the closeness of the Guardian.
Dende came to a stop. He realized that he could not risk going much further. He extended a hand and Mai flinched, as if expecting to be struck. The small reaction caused a pang of sadness within Dende. He truly did not want to hurt her... or to lose her.
"Mai," he said in a gentle voice. "Mai, you must fight this. Push the darkness from your mind and heart. Don't let it swallow you."
Mai's growling increased. She parted her teeth and tensed. A part of her pulsed with hate for this being before her. Her mind swam with memories of all the cruelties she had endured, of the evil that she had seen. The aura of goodness he projected only served to increase her own anguish. How could such a being exist and claim to guard people when such atrocities were allowed to occur? A whirlwind of emptiness, pain, rage and so many other burning emotions gripped her soul and threatened to tear it apart.
Her claws dug deep into the tile. She wanted to kill him... wanted to tear out his throat and see his blood spill over the ground. Something deep in her soul thrilled at the thought. How delightful it would be, just like when she ripped into the flesh of that pathetic woman. Would his screams be as pleasing?
"Mai..." Dende turned his hand palm up, a supplication to the female Namek to come back from the edge of the abyss. He could sense she was slipping. His next words he voiced telepathically, hoping to reach her. Don't forget your friend, don't forget your people. Don't let this steal your life. You are a kind, gentle person. Don't give in to the impulses calling to you. Don't become the thing you hate.
Mai's head drooped a little, though she still stared into Dende's eyes. Friend... who was her friend? Who cared for her? The image of the Saiyan woman fighting Piccolo flickered in her mind. She was here... Brussi had come here and she had fought because she thought Mai was in trouble. Uncertainty crept into her expression. She clenched her fists, sharp nails digging into her flesh, purple blood flowing over her fingers. Her eyes closed for several seconds, then opened again. The red faded into black. She had almost...
Tears gathered and spilled down her cheeks. Mai collapsed onto the ground, her head cradled in her arms. Quiet sobs wracked her body.
Dende released a silent, relieved breath. He blinked a few times to ease the stinging in his eyes. For the first time since coming out, he looked to Piccolo and Brussi. The Saiyan was getting ready to move when Dende shook his head. It was still too early. Brussi frowned at him, but stopped. He then gave Piccolo a stern look, a reminder to follow his lead.
At Piccolo's slight nod, Dende approached the crying Mai. He knelt in front of her and gently touched her shoulder. Mai flinched away. He could hear the small whimpers and see the trembling. He tried again, wanting... needing to show her that she was in no danger. Mai didn't recoil this time, though her shaking increased slightly.
"Mai, it's over." Dende wanted to say more, but snatches of words and phrases suddenly skimmed through his mind. Fragments of images flashed in a frightening staccato montage. His eyes widened. They were not his thoughts.
A creeping darkness... bursts of rage... it burns, it burns horribly...
stop... I can't take the pain... so much pain... Mida... she's going to kill
me... can't fight him... must escape... he's hurting her... the taste of
blood... oh gods... oh gods... what have I done?
evil... monster... fiend... hell spawn... devil god...
Demon...
"No!" Dende squeezed Mai's shoulder. He shook her slightly, whispering fiercely. "Mai, listen to me. You can't let this crush you. Do you hear me?"
Mai raised her head wearily. She looked into his eyes for just a moment, before squeezing her own shut and turning her face away. There was such shame and regret in that short glance.
Dende placed his other hand against the side of her head. The touch caused a fresh bout of tears. The young Guardian gently pulled Mai close, allowing her to lean against him as she cried. It was rare that he could offer comfort so directly to one of his charges. Usually he was restricted to fleeting mind touches and soothing dreams. A selfish piece of him wanted to go slowly, but he knew that he couldn't.
He waited until Mai quieted, then spoke again. "You will overcome this. We'll help you."
"What's happened to me?" Mai asked. Her voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper. She didn't open her eyes.
Dende took a deep breath. He glanced over to Brussi. He hadn't wanted anyone present when he answered this question, not even Piccolo. But at least, he knew Piccolo wouldn't do anything to interfere. The Saiyan woman was a wildcard he hadn't counted on. For the moment she appeared subdued. He could only hope she would keep to her agreement.
Dende turned his attention back to Mai. He swallowed, nervous about how he should approach the matter. Taking another breath, he plunged into the explanation. "What you're experiencing is the result of genetic manipulation."
"I don't understand..." Mai's voice trembled. This was all frightening. She felt as if she were no longer in control of her being. She no longer knew who she was.
Dende sighed. "You know of the children that were sent from Nameksei to escape the destruction. Because there was little time, and so few adults could be spared to accompany them, our ancestors had to find a way to keep them safe."
He stroked Mai's head a few times, then continued sadly, "Since we are basically peaceful, it would be easy for a child to get into danger without knowing what to do. The ones that were sent out... our ancestors tried to give them a defense. They tried to tap into primitive instincts in a controlled way. But it didn't work."
Dende paused again. He knew the next part would be difficult for Mai. Bearing the burden of someone else's mistakes was never fair. He could only hope she would be strong enough. "We were not always a peaceful race, Mai. Far in our past, we were more violent and cold-blooded than most. It took much pain and sacrifice to lock away those traits."
Mai stilled completely. She barely breathed, her mind attempting to grasp the meaning behind Dende's words.
"The ancestors went too far," Dende said. "No one realized it until much later. By then, only the Great Elder remained of them. It was discovered that for every dangerous situation those children faced, for every evil they saw or experienced, the ancient darkness that once plagued our people would creep farther into their hearts."
He closed his eyes in sorrow. "Far too many fell into its grasp. So many died because they couldn't break free of it."
Mai bit her lower lip, keeping her eyes squeezed shut. She didn't need to ask why she suffered from this. If her mother knew nothing about it, she couldn't have prevented passing on those traits.
Mai pushed away from Dende, grateful when he didn't try to stop her. She kept her head bowed and gripped the edges of her sleeves. Her voice was still and quiet when she spoke, "So... what they said was true. Before we escaped, the other women accused me of being a demon for what I did."
"Bullshit!" The harsh invective caused Piccolo, Dende and Mai to swing their gazes to Brussi. The Saiyan rose from her seated position. Her expression was one of pure rage. She held up a fisted hand, the muscles in her arm taut. "If you say that again, brat, I'll beat the notion out of your head! Those fools don't know anything."
Dende and Piccolo tensed. The Guardian glared at Brussi. If she kept this up, she could trigger another episode. He could sense Mai's physical and mental exhaustion. She would have no defense against the evil impulses that would sweep through her.
Before he could say anything, Mai responded, "Brussi, it must be true. I-"
Brussi sprinted over to the kneeling Mai. She grabbed the front of the younger woman's robe with one hand, hauling the Namek to her feet. The Saiyan held her friend so that their faces were inches apart. She drew back her other arm.
There was a growl and a large green hand clamped over Brussi's wrist. She whipped her head around. She snarled at the large warrior. "Let go of me, you bastard!"
"Brussi, listen to me! Look at me!" Mai's tone was harsh, anger and sorrow laced through the words.
Brussi turned her attention back to Mai. Tears glittered in the Namek's eyes, but didn't fall. The younger woman glared at her, expression full of pain... too much for Brussi to deny. She loosened her grip slightly.
Mai continued staring at Brussi. Her voice once again was quiet, but it was ragged. "Look at me. Look at what I've done. I had no control... I couldn't stop myself from..."
The female Namek raised a hand to her face, touching the dried mix of gore and tears. Her gaze flicked to Piccolo's torn ear. She made a small, strangled sound and began to viciously scrub her sleeve across her tainted skin.
Brussi released Mai with a low growl, pushing the younger woman away slightly.
Piccolo let go of the Saiyan's wrist. It seemed the demented woman had given up on the thought of beating on Mai. He wondered just how the two had come to consider each other friends if this was the typical interaction between them. The thought was discarded when he caught sight of Dende approaching Mai. He tensed, ready in case she attacked again.
Dende came to stand partially in front of Mai, where he was certain she would see him. He put his hand on her arm, stilling her frantic attempt to wipe away the evidence of what happened. Switching his gaze to Popo, he said, "Mr. Popo, would you prepare a bath for our guest? I'm sure she would like one about now."
Mr. Popo nodded, not even looking at Mai. Whatever he thought of the preceding events, he kept to himself. He disappeared quickly down the path and into the palace.
Brussi huffed to herself and crossed her arms. The Saiyan didn't understand the fuss. So Mai had no control and took chunks out of people's flesh. One didn't question tactics that worked in a fight, especially when the person had no skills. And Mai evil? It was damned laughable. The Namek couldn't squash flies without feeling guilty. All this nonsense about 'genetics' and brutal history was just upsetting the brat.
The image of Mai's red eyes briefly flashed in Brussi's mind. The Saiyan had felt a cold shiver at the sight of them. She'd never once come close to fearing the Namek, but this time had nearly been the first.
Brussi brushed aside the lingering doubt. It had been a tense situation. The younger woman was finally showing some fighting sense and now these two strangers were in a snit over it. No doubt because a female who could fight back meant they couldn't do as they pleased. Well, they were out of luck. She smirked at Mai and said, "You just need training, brat. You've got instincts, but no discipline. I can take care of that. We'll hone your skills until you can best every male on this planet."
Piccolo grunted at that. Trust a Saiyan to think this was a good thing. Dende didn't look too pleased with Brussi's statement either. Mai lowered her eyes, studying the ground.
The Guardian turned to Brussi. He frowned at the woman's attitude. "It's true that Mai needs training, but not that sort. She can't afford to let these instincts take further hold. If she does, she will lose herself to them."
"And who'll train the brat? You?" Brussi snorted in amusement. She could knock this boy over with little effort. She pointed to the large Namek's ear. "If she could do that to your bodyguard, then you don't have a chance. She could probably kill you if she wanted to."
The Saiyan grinned at the reaction that elicited. The younger male actually paled slightly. She decided to dig a little more. Facing the Guardian full on, she crossed her arms again. Her smile got wider and her brows drew down in a hungry expression. "All it would take is for you to do one thing wrong and the brat would have your head on a plate. Is there much glory in killing you? Her first kill should be someone at least slightly important."
"Brussi!" Mai took a step forward, anger clear in the tenseness of her body. "Stop it! Just stop it! I don't want to... I won't kill anyone!"
"She's right," Piccolo said. Now that he was certain things had calmed down, he stood with his arms crossed. He looked to Brussi with a slight frown, then turned to Dende. "Mai is too dangerous. She can't stay here."
Dende shook his head. He knew that eventually Piccolo would resist his authority in this matter. He had hoped it wouldn't be so soon. "Piccolo, she needs help to control this. She needs the guidance of someone familiar with mental training."
"Dende, you are the Guardian of this planet. You have duties you can't ignore." Piccolo's words took on the tone of a teacher admonishing a student. Although the old Namek known as Kami no longer existed, the merger with his other half's offspring had ensured that his experience could be passed on. Piccolo had taken that responsibility to heart. "You can't risk your life for one person. Not when you have so many others to oversee."
The young Guardian clasped his hands behind his back. His expression became stony and nearly blank. He normally appreciated the wisdom Piccolo could give in regards to how he should handle his protection of Chikyuusei. But even his pride could be bruised. It was sorely pricked at the moment from being lectured in front of two of his charges.
"Very well, then," Dende said at last. "Then you will be in charge of her training."
"What?" Piccolo gaped at the younger male.
"Over my dead body!" Brussi whirled around to face the Namek warrior. She threatened Piccolo with her fist. "Touch her and you'll have more to worry about than a half bitten ear!"
Mai could only respond by shrinking back. She was grateful for Brussi's presence. Hearing the older woman's brash declaration brought some small sense of normalcy in an otherwise confusing string of events. She glanced over to Dende, but his closed expression offered no comfort.
"Enough!" Dende scowled at the two warriors who were shooting death glares at each other. His patience was nearing its end. He turned to Piccolo first. "You've made it very clear that Mai can't remain on the Lookout. The only other person on this planet who knows the techniques she needs to learn is you. You are strong enough to withstand any attacks, though I expect them to be rare. This is non-negotiable on your part. Consider it a divine mission."
Piccolo growled, his eyeridges drawn low. His muscles ached dully from the tension in them. His temper couldn't take much more. He kept his thoughts to himself, knowing that he couldn't argue further without undermining the Guardian's authority.
Dende then turned his sight to Brussi. His expression firm and slightly cold. "Piccolo can be trusted. He can help Mai gain control. I don't intend to keep you two separated-"
A slightly guttural noise from Piccolo interrupted. Dende shot him a warning glare, then continued, "but if you interfere with her training, you could destroy Mai's chance of living a peaceful life."
Brussi snorted at the mention of a 'peaceful life.' Sounded boring to her. She glanced at Mai. The younger woman had her head slightly bowed and her shoulders drooped. Brussi didn't like the idea of handing the brat over to the large Namek male. Mai wouldn't have the power to defend herself from him. She was about to protest when the Guardian approached Mai and placed his hand on the Namek woman's shoulder.
Mai looked up into Dende's face. His expression had softened, though it still held the shadow of firm resolve.
"Mai, you can trust Piccolo." Dende tried to make his words convincing. He knew Piccolo could be rough and he would need to speak with the warrior about it. At the moment, though, he had to assure the Namek woman everything would be all right. "If you listen to him, he can guide you through this."
Mai thought for a few moments. She licked her dry lips, grimacing at the metallic taste that still lingered there. She rubbed her fingers over her chin. I can't let this happen again...
"All right. I'll go with him."
"Brat..." Brussi took a step toward Mai, but the younger woman forestalled her.
Mai shook her head. "I have to, Brussi. I... don't want to hurt anyone else. I don't want to become lost in those feelings again. You don't know what it was like..."
Brussi made an annoyed sound. How bad could it have been? She studied Mai for a moment. She took in the faint lines around the Namek woman's eyes, the puffiness from the crying and the paleness that had crept into the green skin. Her friend seemed close to collapsing to the ground. Ok, maybe it was bad.
Mai attempted a smile. She could tell the Saiyan had backed down from her objection. "Besides, you can come check up on me. You wouldn't want me to forget you, would you?"
"Heh. Don't count on it, brat. I'll make sure you don't." Brussi punched Mai lightly in the arm.
"Ahem. Excuse me, but Mr. Popo has prepared the bath." Mr. Popo stood a little ways down the path. How long he had been there, the others didn't know.
Dende nodded to the dijin, then patted Mai's shoulder. "Why don't you and Brussi go clean up. Then you two can relax and talk for a while. Mr. Popo can bring some food for your friend."
Brussi's attention perked up at the mention of supper. She hadn't eaten since she and Mai had first been taken to Capsule Corp. And that meal had been interrupted before she could finish. Her stomach rumbled a bit.
Mai grinned, her first in what seemed like a long while. She chuckled. "Sounds like you agree it's a good idea, Brussi."
"Brat!" Brussi punched Mai's arm again, not quite so lightly this time, and growled.
"Savage!" Mai stuck out her tongue at the Saiyan, then strolled briskly down the walkway. She didn't get far before Brussi caught up and cuffed her on the head. The younger Namek made a show of covering herself. The two continued on like that towards the palace, trading words and, in Brussi's case, slight blows.
"They have an... interesting way of relating to each other, don't they?" asked Dende. He wasn't sure if he was more amused or worried. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The two had lived in an abusive environment for years. That had to affect their reactions and perceptions at least a little. He moved closer to Piccolo, reaching a hand up near the warrior's torn ear. A warm light gathered, then spread over the injury and healing it.
"Hmph." Piccolo's ear twitched occasionally as cartilage and skin reformed. He watched as Brussi and Mai entered the palace, followed by Mr. Popo. Once they were inside, he turned his attention to the Guardian. He still didn't like this plan.
Dende finished and stepped back, scrutinizing his work. He caught Piccolo's look and held up a hand. He shook his head firmly. "I know you want to argue about this. I meant what I said. She's agreed to the training. You will be her teacher until she can control her demon side."
"Feh. What happened to free will and not meddling directly?" Piccolo stared down at the young Guardian.
"You can take it up with North Kai, if you think it's that important." Dende smirked, his brows drawn down slightly. He half turned away, tapping the tip of a nail against his chin as if thinking. "But I seem to remember another Namek with a similar problem who was given a chance."
"Grr... fine. At least you could have left the decision regarding that demented Saiyan up to me." Piccolo glowered at Dende's profile.
"I'm sorry, Piccolo. But I think Mai needs to know she won't be cut off from the one familiar thing she has. Try to get along with Brussi and try not to be too rough with Mai."
Piccolo growled softly, averting his gaze away from Dende. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned. The stubborn young Guardian wasn't going to listen. Piccolo was stuck with a student he didn't want and a reactive Saiyan he didn't need in his life.
Dende rested one arm behind his back and nodded. Piccolo wasn't happy with the arrangement, but he could be counted on to do his best. The young Namek began to walk down the pathway, back towards the palace.
"Dende, I won't hesitate to kill her or imprison her if I have to. This world doesn't need another a repeat of Daimaou."
Dende stopped, glancing back at Piccolo.
"She may not have his strength, but she could cause a lot of harm before being taken down." Piccolo didn't look at Dende as he spoke. His even tone perhaps more telling of his seriousness than a more argumentative one would be.
Dende nodded again, his own voice as even. "I know, Piccolo."