The Scabs

Chapter 5

Back in his wasteland, Piccolo laid the girl down on the ground. She was not unconscious, yet did not seem to be completely alert either. Probably in shock.

Looking at her, he saw her shudder at the cold. Her shirt was hanging on by a thread. Her small breasts exposed. The lower half of her body was completely naked. Piccolo found himself staring. He had never seen a human in this way. Her body was so different than he had imagined it. Looking at her, he realized how very small and helpless she was.

Piccolo still had no sympathy for the girl. She was a complete fool for letting herself be caught by the Demons. Yet, he decided he did owe her for helping him earlier. He built a small fire, moving her body closer to it.

Raya felt the cold. Her mind was confused and her body ached. She knew she was naked, but she wasn't sure where she was. Were the Demons still here? Waiting? She sobbed as quietly as she could. Raya was consumed with pure fear, afraid to open her eyes, she just laid there.

A couple of hours had passed. Raya had drifted off into some form of slumber. Piccolo just continued to watch her. Her nakedness was not arousing him, but he was curious.

Her sleep was not restful. The girl pulled her knees in tightly to her chest as she cried and whimpered. Several times, she woke up in screams. The sound piercing his ears. Piccolo could not meditate for her constant noises.

"Will you shut up!" He yelled at her.

Raya's brown eyes opened slightly. She looked up at Piccolo, her lip quivering. In a voice so quite, even Piccolo had to strain to hear her she said "Please..cover me up." Piccolo suddenly realized...she was embarrassed. Ashamed to be laying there naked. Without thinking, he took his cape, removing the weighted shoulder pads, and covered her with it.

"Thank..you." She said, still barely audible. For a moment, Piccolo looked into her face. She was little more than a child. Lying on the hard, cold ground. Naked no less. But she tried to be strong.

He did not think about his meditation for the rest of the night. Piccolo's eyes stayed on the girl.

The sun was rising, warmth covering the icy dew on the grass.

In the light, Piccolo hardly recognized the girl. Her face was so bloody and swollen. There were several scratches and a large gash over her left eye that he had not seen in the dark. He pulled his cape back to examine her body. Bruises to her ribs indicated that she may have broken bones. Along with four or five deep gashes to her legs, her inner thighs. And a few scratches on her chest. However, all in all, she was lucky. He knew what those Demons were capable of. What they were about to do to her.

He shook her slightly, trying to stir her awake.

Raya opened her eyes, bringing up her hand to shield them from the sudden brightness. For the first time, she realized where she was, and who she was with. It was the tall green man.

"It's about time you woke up." Piccolo said gruffly. "You wasted a lot of my time child. It is time you went home to lick your wounds."

Raya rose up slowly on her elbow. She could feel the wet grass beneath her legs and her bottom. Moving the white cape back, she tried to examine herself. Although there was a pain between her legs, it was due to the cuts..Nothing else.

Looking at Piccolo, she tried to stand. But she was shaky. Piccolo watched she fell back on the ground. He shook his head. Again, Raya tried to get up, but her legs could not hold her up.

Damn..she is weak. Piccolo thought to himself.

"I..can't.." She said, beginning to sob again.

"Damn." Piccolo said aloud as he gritted his teeth.

Piccolo glared at her. Raya knew he could care less if she lived or died. However, she knew that this green man was all she had.

"Please...help me." Raya asked him.

"What do you want me to do? Carry you again!" Piccolo was irritated. He had plans for today and it did not include babysitting.

Raya could not take it anymore. She broke down in tears again. "Fine..." She said softly. "Just leave me alone. I will find my way home alone."

Piccolo smiled slightly. "Good, then I'm out of here." Without so much as a second glance, Piccolo left her.

Raya was stunned. He left me here. she thought to herself. She laid her head back down in the grass and cried.

After a lot of tears, Raya tried to stand again. It took every ounce of strength she could muster. Pulling the white cloth around her, she took small, uneasy steps. Her legs hurt so badly, each step felt like nails being hammered into her body. Raya walked for two hours without stopping, but she had at least 4 hours ahead of her at the pace she was going. She was thirsty. Hot. Tired. Hurting.

She could not go any further. Raya allowed herself to fall into the tall grass, closing her eyes. In her mind, she was giving up. She would accept her death. At least the pain would be gone.

Although Piccolo had intended on ignoring the girl, he ended up watching her as she walked. He wasn't sure if he was simply fascinated with her, or if he wanted to watch her fail. As he looked on her now, she was failing. He could sense she was giving up. Dying.

Piccolo hovered over her body, wondering what he should do. He had no reason to help her again. Yet, he felt like he had to. As he landed beside her head, Raya looked up.

"You are more trouble than you're worth." Piccolo told her, taking the girl in his arms. She was light as a feather.

He stopped by the river, allowing her to drink some water. Piccolo also filled up a canteen for later.

Setting her down by the campfire, Piccolo decided he would try and meditate. He closed his eyes, hovering.

Raya was awake. But she was really too afraid of this man to say anything to him. Her stomach was full from the water. Yet, she was still hungry. Raya did not dare say a word. As the hours passed, she slept. The sun was hot, but Piccolo had moved them both under the shade of a large oak tree.

Goku had been searching for hours. He realized early that morning that Raya was gone. Apparently climbed out the window, for what reason he did not know. Gohan was safe with the Ox King.

Frantically, Goku flew. Low to the ground, as to see her if...if there was anything left of her. In the back of his mind, he knew if she were dead it was due to the Demons. If she were alive, she would have come home. At least he would have spotted her by now.

Night time was at hand. The sun had set, the temperature dropped. Raya continued to lay on the grass, covered only in the white cloth. The green man had not moved in the last few hours. He continued in his lotus position, eyes closed. She knew he was alive, she saw him breathing.

"Can..I have some water?" Raya asked him.

Piccolo opened his eyes. Reaching down, he took the canteen from his belt and threw it at the girl. It hit her on the shoulder, and then fell to the ground. She felt yet another pain go through her body. Feeling utterly desperate, she hung her head, pulling her knees up to her chest and began to cry.

"Will you stop that crying?" Piccolo snapped.

He had the sudden urge to shake the girl. To knock some sense into her. She was alive, so just be content with things. He walked over and grabbed her up from the ground by her upper arms. The cloth fell to the ground.

"I SAID STOP CRYING!" Piccolo yelled in her face.

Raya didn't care about living anymore. She looked into Piccolo's eyes, his face just inches from hers. "Please, just kill me..now. I can't take..it anymore." As the girl spoke, there were no tears. Just emptiness in her eyes and in her voice.

Piccolo was surprised. He had not expected this.

He threw her to the ground as if touching her burned his skin.

She did not try and cover herself up. Raya just sat there. "Please...kill me.." she told him again.

Piccolo brought his hand up, preparing a blast. He would make it swift and quick for the girl.

Raya looked up, seeing the fire beam in the palm of his hand. She knew what this was. Her brother used the same thing to destroy whatever it was he might want to destroy. Raya did not flinch. She closed her eyes, face still towards Piccolo.

"Thank you." She said softly.

Piccolo paused. "What?" He asked.

Opening her eyes briefly she said again. "Thank you."

"For what?" Piccolo asked, confused.

"For being...kind to me." She told him. "I know I didn't deserve your help. But thank you for trying."

Piccolo was not sure how to respond.

The beam was ready to fire.

Piccolo's mind was racing.

What should he do?

For the first time in his life, he wasn't sure.

This made him angry.

That he was hesitating.

He was born to kill.

This should be easy for him.

Looking at the girl, he powered up, aiming his hand towards her head.

Should he do it?

Could he kill her?

Raya heard the blast as it left Piccolo's hand.

She held her breath, preparing to die.

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