Author:Anika
A.N.: This is a side story to Echo's series, "Draco Meets Orion". I will elaborate on Lana's life and journey through the fic, as well as other relationships that have to do with them. Why? Because I can. P.S. Lana is my character, and an extension of myself as anime. Yes, I know, wishful thinking on my account, but hell. Why not? Anyway, on with the fic.
*A Brief outline of the "Draco Meets Orion" series, if you haven't read it before*
Okay....um...There's this girl, Echo, who lives on a horse ranch with her horse, many dogs, and her sister, Lana. They (Echo and her horse) are in the woods when they hear an explosion. It turns out there is a dimensional portal from the Draco dimension (The DBZ timeline) to the Orion dimension (Real life). Echo saves Gohan from some badies, which are affiliated with Freeza. They go back to the ranch, where GOhan stays for a few days and gets to know Echo. Then, the dimensional portal opens again, and Freeza's badies, along with Goku adn Piccolo, and rescue the kids. (By the way, both Gohan and Echo are ninteen, making Lana twenty one) It turns out that Echo is a Star saiya-jin, from the clan of one of the most powerful Saiya-jins on Vegeitta-sei...before it blew up.
Freeza then confronts the warriors, who have now teamed up with the DBZ special forces in the Draco dimension, and gets his bootie whipped.
N.E. ways, this here fic begins an hour after Echo has been dumped into the Draco dimension. Her sister, Lana, follws her into the woods where she dissapeared, and begins an adventure of her own...
Part One: Small Rocks
~*~*
"Ow!" A young girl cried as she landed on her backside, causing a huge crater to form around her. She had been in the woods behind her house with her horse, looking for her sister who had mysteriously disappeared an hour earlier, when a tornado-like object* sucked her up and deposited her here.
"EWWWW!"
On closer examination, Lana discovered that there was something tail-like attached to the small of her back. It was covered in soft, blue fur and reached almost to the ground.
"What the hell is this?" She asked to herself, gingerly pulling on her newfound appendage.
"OW! OW! OW!" Lana fell to the ground, yelping in pain.
"Note to self: Never pull the furry thing." she muttered.
Very slowly, she got to her feet and wondered over to a small stream to get a drink; her throat parched from all the screaming she had done. Looking into the clear water, she gasped at her reflection. She ran her fingers through her long, once black hair, and stared at it. It was longer than before she went through the funnel-thingy; it reached down past her waist. And it had turned a startling shade of dark blue, almost cerulean. Her sky-blue eyes had become wider and more innocent, and her lips fuller.
"Oh my Goddess..." Lana trailed off. She reached her hand to touch the image that the stream was showing her, when a shadow fell over her.
"Who are you, and why is there a crater in my backyard?"
Lana swiftly turned at the sound of the voice. She quickly stood and came face to face with the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He had poker straight, black hair that reached his shoulders and piercing blue eyes. And that smirk...Lana quickly glowered. She wanted to smack that cocky grin right off his face.
"My name," she said, straightening up, "Is Lana. And there is a crater in your backyard because that is where I landed."
The man's cocky grin grew wider as he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Landed?"
Lana sighed, putting her hand on her hip and swishing the "fuzzy thing" violently. The man's eyes widened when he saw the furry appendage and he backed away in aprehension.
"You...you're a Saiya-jin!"
"A what?" Lana's face became contorted in confusion as she rolled the foreign word around in her mouth. "Saiya-jin. Hmm...sounds familiar."
Her newfound companion shook his head in disbelief. "You mean, you don't know what a Saiya-jin is? What rock have you been living under?"
"Well, I'm not what you would call 'from around here'," Lana retorted hotly, "I think I was sucked through a dimensional portal of some sorts and this is where I landed. Except this place doesn't look anything like the land of OZ."
"Oh, so you're a Saiya-jin with amnesia from another dimension," he asked sarcastically, "well, that explains a great deal."
Lana shot him a withering look and asked, "Listen, I'm looking for my sister. She would have come through the same portal I did about an hour ago. She's got black hair and blue eyes. Looks kinda like me. Ya see her?"
The man shook his head, "Nope, you're the only one I've seen around today. But maybe she fell into another 'universe'." He taunted.
Lana sniffed. "Well, since its obvious you don't want me around here, lemme use your phone so I can get out of your way."
"Don't have a phone. Don't have roads either. The only way to the nearest town is walking."
Lana was about fed up with this guy's smug attitude.
"How far is the nearest town?"
"Three weeks, give or take a day."
She shrugged. "I've been on worse camping trips. Now, if you'll just point me in the right direction, I'll be on my way."
Her newfound 'friend' sighed. "You can't just go trapsing around these woods, ya know. There are wild animals and things out there."
Lana shrugged again, turning her back on him and taking off in a random direction. "I have no fear of animals, my friend."
He thought quickly. "There are bugs in the woods. Very big, very LARGE bugs."
The blue haired Saiya-jin stopped in mid-stride. "Bu...bugs?" she choked out.
"Yeah," he responded smoothly, coming up beside her. "They are rumored to eat human flesh and thrive on sucking the blood from any living being."
Lana despaired. She hated bugs. Really, really hated them. With a passion. If there was one thing she could wish for, it would be no more bugs.
"Well, since I'm obviously stuck here with you," she demanded, "What do I have 'the pleasure' of calling you?"
The man uncrossed his arms and offered his hand tauntingly.
"My name is Juunana-gou."
"Juunana-gou, eh?" She responded, turning her nose up at his hand. "Well Sev, since its just you and I, I guess its up to you to explain this whole Saiya-jin thing to me?
"It would be my 'pleasure'," he smirked at her over his shoulder and called back to her.
"You'd better come with me. It looks like its going to rain, and this is one hell of a story."
“Where are we going?”
"My cabin."
"Oh. Great." Lana muttered under her breath.
****
"So, what you're saying is that I'm an alien from across the galaxy with super strength, enormous appetite, and a primal need to fight?"
Lana sat in the living room of Juunana's cabin, holding a steaming cup up tea. She was leaning on her knees and listening to his narrative with skepticism.
"Well, something like that."
The girl stood from the sofa and edged towards the door.
"Right. And when was the last time you had a CAT scan?"
Juunana glared at her and went to block her escape.
"You don't believe me? Fine, I guess I'll just have to prove it to you."
He grabbed her by the arm and threw her outside. It was pouring down rain and in less than a minute, she was soaked.
"So, are Saiya-jins supposed to melt or somethin'?" She yelled back at Juunana, who was standing in the doorway looking smug.
"No. I figure if I piss you off enough, you'll use your ki on me."
Lana glowered at him, the rain streaming down her face and soaking her tattered clothing, causing it to cling to her body.
"It’s working."
Juunana felt her ki rise slowly, then fade again as she calmed down. He wasn't about to let that happen, though.
"Look at you!" He laughed, safe and dry from the doorway; "You look like a drowned rat!"
"Why you..." the girl leapt at him, punching him squarely in the jaw. "I'm gonna beat that smirk right off your cocky little face, you bastard!"
She threw him out of the doorway and into the rain, slamming the door on her way inside. He heard the lock slide in place and Lana laugh evilly.
"Let's see how you like it!" She gloated through the door.
"Ha, ha, ha, Lana," Juunana yelled. He powered up to blast through, but then halted when he thought of the repair job he would have to do. Then, he thought of the look on Lana's face when he would come charging in. He decided it was worth it.
"I'm coming in now!" the black-haired man yelled. He raised his hand and fired a weak ki blast towards the door. When he sauntered in, he was shocked to see Lana lying on the floor; her head bleeding from debris that had hit her.
"Holy shit!" Juunana swore. He bent down and picked her up. Her head lolled to one side as he shook her.
"Don't you dare die on me, you bitch," he whispered fiercely. Lana's eyelids fluttered open and she saw his concerned face.
"Are you ok?" She asked shakily.
"Yeah."
"Good," she answered, then slapped him.
"What was that for?" He asked, dropping her unceremoniously on the sofa.
"Trying to kill me, among other things." She got up and rubbed the blood off her forehead. "You owe me now."
"What do I have that you could possibly want?" Juunana asked sarcastically. (A.N. ::sweat drop::)
"You are going to train me," she stated. "You are going to teach me to fight and to use these Saiya-jin powers of mine."
"Oh I am, am I?"
Lana sidled up to him and curled a lock of his dark hair around her finger.
"Oh yes, you are." She had decided that he needed to be humbled and she was just the girl to do it.
"Umm...sure. Ok," he stuttered not sure how to react. He hadn't expected THAT approach, that was for certain.
"Good. We'll start tomorrow. Right now, I'm gonna get cleaned up, then go to sleep."
She backed off with a sly grin and sauntered into the bathroom.
Juunana stood there, kicking himself.
***
Upon exiting the shower, Lana dried herself, then changed into the clothes that Juunana had left out for her. It looked like a ratty old t-shirt and sweat pants were the only thing he could find that would remotely fit her. Sighing, she brushed her still wet hair into a tight pony tail and sank down on the soft bed. Not noticing the figure lying next to her, she fell fast asleep, due to the exhasting day she had.
Later that night, the girl awoke to a thrashing in the bed. Startled, she jumped out and raised her hand back to hit the 'intruder'. Then, she heard the muffled voice of Juunana calling out in his sleep.
“No! Please stop! Why do you want to hurt me?” the man cried, fighting with the multiple blankets and comforters on the bed. Worried, Lana leaned onto the bed and put a soothing hand on his arm.
“Sev. Hey Sev, wake up.” His eyes popped open, and he sat straight up, breathing heavily and covered in a cold sheen of sweat. Slowly, his eyes closed and he eased back into the pillows.
“What’s wrong?” Lana asked, her blue eyes wide with concern for her new sensei. He shook his head in dismissal.
“It’s nothing. Just a nightmare.”
Putting a hand on his shoulder, she said, “Sev, I’m going to tell you something that I have never told anyone but my little sister. I have this power...I don’t know how to explain it. I can interpret dreams, among other things. Tell me your dreams, I may be able to help you.”
Juunana glanced at the girl’s serious face and decided to take a chance.
“In my dream, I am alone in a black void. Many hands are reaching towards me; they want to hurt me. I hear their screams of pain, the screams I caused. They are tortured, suffering because of me. And just when they are about to suffocate me, I wake up.”
Lana concentrated on his words, her eyes closed. Going into her normal meditation pose, she relived the dream through his narritive. Seeing what he saw, she was able to understand fully the meaning.
“Sounds like your past is trying to catch up with you.” She opened her eyes slowly and smiled gently at the man before her. “What did you do that could cause you such guilt?”
“It’s nothing,” he muttered, standing from the bed. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” Taking some covers from the bed, he said, “I’ll be on the couch if you need me.”
Lana watched as he left the room, confused. In all her 21 years, she had never met such a complex person. As she fell to sleep again, she thought of the secrets this man held, and of her own strange talents that she had since she had been born.
~*dream sequence~*
Lana found herself on an expanse of vast whiteness. She turned and saw only starkness around her. Then, a voice from overhead caused her to jump.
"My oldest child, it has been so long."
She looked around in fear. "Who said that? Where are you?"
The voice answered gently, "My name is Aquila. I am your natural mother. I have quite a lot to tell you, my child."
"I should say so!" Lana demmanded. "Like, where the hell am I, for starters!"
The voice from above sighed, "You always were impatiant. My child, you are a Saiya-jin, just like the android said you were. But you are not any ordinary Saiya-jin. You fullfil a prophecy from long ago, of a child of the water being born of the children of the light. You are a Water Saiya-jin. You have the power of mysticysm, healing, prophacy, empathy, and telekenisis. And since you were born of the Star clan, the most powerful of all the Saiya-jins, by default you are the most powerful of all Water Saiya-jins."
"But what is that supposed to mean? I mean, that explains a lot of my past, but what about my future? What am I suposed to do with these powers? Who will teach me? How am I supposed to use them? Please, " Lana cried out desparatly, "Tell me what to do!"
"That I cannot do, my child." the voice answered. "These powers you must find yourself. And what you do with them is your own decision. I can only hope you use them to benifit."
"I uunderstand," the blue haired saiya-jin responded. "I have one question, though. Is Echo alright? Is she here?"
The voice chuckled. "Always so concerned about everyone but yourself. I will tell you only one thing about your sister. She is safe and happy. And you will encounter her when the timing is right."
The sound of the voice died off, and Lana started awake for the second time that night, and for some strange reason, couldn't go back to sleep.
***
"OK, lets start at the beginning," Juunana instructed, the next morning. They both assumed a fighting stance and began to spar.
"Hmm, you're not bad, for a begginer," he commented, blocking a punch.
"Thanks," she breathed, as she dodged another kick. "But I'm not a begginer. I have a first degree black-belt in Tae Kwon Do."
"Well, Miss Black Belt," he smirked, "You'd better quit bragging and defend yourself."
He stepped it up a notch, even so, and LAna had no time to back talk, as she was preoccupied dodging various kicks and punches. She finally saw an adavantage, though, and she took it. As Juunana was throwing a punch, she grabbed his wrist and used his momentum to flip him over her shoulder. He landed with a small grunt and watched with certain irony as the dust settled around him.
The black haired android got up slowly and bruched himslef off. He looked at her with a mischievious gleam in his eyes.
"Okay then, you want to play tough? I'll tell you what....you run. And if I catch you, you are in deep shit, okay? Okay."
"So, I'm just running?" Lana inquired, stretching out.
"No, you're not 'just running'," he quipped, "You're running from me."
She nodded with a small smirk. Then without warning, she took off.
"You're supposed to wait until I say go!" Juunana yelled after her. He sighed, then took off at a jog after her.
Lana reveled in the cool wind that blew accrossed her face as she ran. In this dimension, she thought, I can move so much faster and more graceful than I ever did in the other one. She felt her entire being bursting at her skin, a warm glow crept into her. Lana closed her eyes, still running, and smiled, throwing her arms out. I feel so free, she thought.
Suddenly, she heard the brush behind her being trampled. Casting a glance over her shoulder, Lana saw Juunana directly behind her, and he wasn't even breaking a sweat.
"What's with this guy?" she thought. "Is he a machine, or something?"
The blue-haired saiya-jin pumped her legs harder, and began to dart in and out of the trees in an attempt to lose her pursuor. It was to no avail, she realized, as she was almost caught.
"I have to think of something fast....I could always let him catch me...no, that would spell disaster....but there is ovbiously no way that I can outrun or outmanuver him. So, what do I do?"
Lana ducked behind a tree to catch her breath. She heard the grass crinkle underneath her sensai's feet.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." he chanted. "There's nothing wrong with giving up. You know there's no way you can get out of this, right? Then just come out and we'll resume the training."
The girl took a last deep breath, and took off from her hiding spot in a full fledged run. Her arms and legs burned with adrenaline and the knowledge that Juunana was right on her tail...so to speak.
"A-ha! There you are, my little Saiya-jin." And with that, the chase was on.
He ran full tilt at her, then tackled her from behind. They both went rolling down a slight grade, and landed in a heap at the bottom. Both jumped up and eyed each other warily.
"I told you, you're in deep shit now, girl," Juunana smirked.
"Bring it, Sev," Lana answered. The two charged at each other and punched at the same time. The force of both punches knocked them both off their feet.
"This is getting us nowhere!" The girl cried, shaking her hurt hand.
Juunana looked up at the sky and responded. "We should get back to the cabin it's getting close to lunchtime, and I'm sure you're starving."
"No I'm not!" Lana said indignatly, but her stomach growled in opposition. Sighing, she followed Juunana back to the cabin.
~*~*~
The weeks passed like this for a while. Juunana would train Lana in combat, and she would smart off to him. There relationship was made clear from the beggining, though. She was only to train under him. He didn't need her as a friend, and she didn't need his attitude causing her mental anguish.
Because Juunana had no ki, he couldn't teach the blue haired Saiya-jin the techniques he had seen performed by other Saiya-jins. He didn't know how to manipulate the life force in a being, therefore, neither did Lana.
One day, however, things got out of hand. Lana was sitting at the table, minding her own business over a bowl of Fruit Loops, when a knock sounded at the door. Before she could get up to answer it, however, Juunana ran from the back room, picked her up, and violently shoved her inside of a small closet in the hallway.
"Whatever you do," he hissed, "Stay quiet."
He heard Lana huff in annoyance. "You had better have a good explaination for this."
The android rolled his eyes and went to answer the door. As he reached for the knob, however, the door swung open slowly, and he saw the image of his sister standing in the doorway.
"Its about time," she commented. "I thought that you had gotten lost on your way to the door."
"What do you want, Juuhachi?" he cut her off abruptly.
She brushed passed him and entered the small cabin.
"Is it a crime to want to come and see one's brother once in a awhile."
The black haired android put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows skeptically.
"In your case, sister, yes. Now, can I help you with something?"
Reclining in an overstuffed sofa, the blonde smirked.
"Actually, there is. There is something I need your help with."
"Oh really? And what's that?"
Juuhachi's smirk faded into seriousness and she leaned forward to reveal the reason she was there.
"In three days, there will be a fierce battle, and we might need your help."
Juunana's attention was immediate as soon as she uttered the word 'battle'.
"Against who? The Saiya-jins have defeated everyone even worth putting up a good fight."
"Somehow," Juuhachi continued, "An old enemy, Freiza, has returned from the dead and has brought his legions to Earth. We have three days to train. Then, he will unleash his powers."
"Waitaminue, waitaminute," Juunana laughed, leaning back into a brown chair. "Didn't that weakling Trunks defeat him? And before him Goku? If those two couldn't keep him dead, what makes you think that me fighting would make a difference?"
"Goku is convinced that, in death, Frieza has aquirred some new tricks, and he doesn't want to take any chances."
The black haired synthoid fell silent as he considered his options. The last time he had fought, he had been absorbed by Cell; suffered a humiliating blow, both to body and ego. But then again, everything he had grown to care about on this planet was being threatened. His mind was troubled with indecision and doubt.
"So," his twin asked after a moment, "Are you in? Are you willing to fight with Goku?"
Juunana stood from his sseated position and stood to face a long window on the north side of the room.
"I've never passed up a fight in my entire exsistance," he started. "But all those battles, I thougth I could win. There was no doubt in my mind that I was the most powerful, that I couldn't be defeated. That's why I have to tell you no."
"What?" Juuhachi whispered from her place on the sofa. "You, brother? Passing up a fight? I never thougth I'd see the day."
"Well, then I guess you'd better look for those four horsemen then, sister," he countered, turning to face her. "These enimeies that you and the Saiya-jins fight are out of my league. I know when to quit. I don't relish the thought of dying. Being absorbed was an experiance that I don't care to repeat, even in the vaguest notion."
Standing, the blonde shook her head. "I was absorbed as well, brother. You can't let your past live your life here, in the presant." As she said this, he turned back to the window, trying to deny what she was saying.
"But I see that my efforts here today were wasted. Good-bye, Juunana."
TUrning on her heel, Juuhachi let herself out of the door and blasted off into the sky.
The jinzounengin leaned upon the sill of the window, letting the cool glass touch his skin. Though he felt nothing, the act was calming in itself.
"Coward."
He whirled around to see his pupil standing behind him, her fists clentched with righteous indignation.
"What did you say?" he inquired, not sure if he had heard her right.
"I called you a coward," Lana repeated, as she inched forward. "You know that your power may be the deciding factor in this upcoming battle, and you are willing to let others die to protect your sorry hide."
"So what if I am a coward?" he countered, "I'll be alive. Which is a lot better than being dead."
The blue haired girl shook her head in rage. "But how CAN you live with yourself with the knowledge that those people's lives are in your hands?"
Juunana stepped close to her, his ice blue eyes seething. "Do you know what its like being dead?" When he got no answer, he continued, "No? Well, I'll tell you. Its being left alone, in a cold black void. YOu scream and scream, but no one hears you. You can't even here yourself. And just when you think you can't take anymore, you here your screams echo back, ten fold with the thicknes of those screams that you caused in life. The innocents whom you destroyed, their voices haunt you, even when you sleep. You can't get away from them."
As he was saying this, he shook Lana with every stressed syllable.
"What in hell is wrong with you?" she whispered, afraid for the first time for her senseii. He turned his eyes upon her, and his gaze shot straight through her, as if she wasn't even there. She gasped in suprise as he let her go sharply and whirled around towards the window again.
"I don't understand you, Juunana," she whispered to his turned back. "But if you aren't going to go and fight, then I will. Someone has to go."
"You can't go, either," he said, ever calm again. "You haven't even reached a power level of five hundred. You would just be in the way out there."
"I can't go?!?" she asked in astonished suprise. "I don't recall asking for you permission! I may not have an outstanding power level, but I know when to fight and when to hang back. I know how to use my brain. That's half the battle, isn't it? Well?"
He hung his head, knowing he was defeated. But he wasn't going to back down that easily. He once again tunred to her, this time calm and collected.
"Listen to me," he started, "You don't stand a chance against this villian. You are too weak. And when Freeza is finished with the higher ups, he will come for the lower threats, people like us. You will get to encounter this guy, whether I like it or not."
"But that's not the point!" Lana cried. "If we can stop him now, then I think its a good idea. How do we know that Freeza woun't just blow up the planet once he's done fighting? No, I say go."
"Think about what you're doing!" Juunana cried. Ignoring him, Lana spun around him and headed for the door. "This is suicide!"
He placed his hand on her arm and yanked on it. The saiya-jin stopped in midstride and glared at the android.
"You will remove your hand from my arm. Now."
"Not until you listen to reason."
As he fixed his own death glare on the girl, he saw her eyes shift slightly from there cerulean blue to a platinum silver color. Then, without warning, a force knocked him back so hard that he went through the living room wall.
From her hieghtedned state, Lana witnessed her actions. Before she knew what she was doing, she was at her senseii's side.
"Ohmigod, Juunana! Are you alright? I'm sorry! I have no idea how that happened!"
His face was hiden from veiw as he whispered,
"You need to leave."
She retraced her hand from his as if she had been stung, so harsh was his voice. She coevered her mouth with her hand and ran for the door. As it slammed, Juunana winced, witht he knowledge that he'd never see her again.
~*~*
Lana ran through the blackened woods, not knowing where she was going. Her hair caught on leaves and branches, but she didn't care. She needed to leave...but where was she to go? She knew little of this world, and had no idea where to go.
Her tears started fresh when she thought back to the words that had been passed between her and Juunana.
"I shouldn't have said those things," she regretted, sobbing. "I always open my mouth before I think. And now, I have no where to go."
So harsh where her tears that she failed to see the ravine looming before her. Her foot slipped before she could even think, and she fell down to the bottom of a five hundred foot canyon. Landing in a small stream at the bottom, Lana lay unconscious with blood dripping from every oraface on her body, her head upheld partially by a small rock.
*Tornado-like object- the afor mentioned dimensional portal, as described by Lana.