Cosmic Crisis 3 - A New Enemy

Chapter 30 - A Friend in Need

The eight reappeared in the lobby of the hotel, causing the people around to panic. The group of eight immediately headed for the elevator.

"Sixteenth floor." Natalie said, slapping her hand onto the button inside the elevator. They all managed to cram their bodies into the relatively small elevator.

"Kakarotto move over, you're breathing down my neck!" Vegeta protested, shifting positions, which also threw Trunks and Goten off, in turn Natalie was smashed into the wall of the elevator.

"Someone do something!" she cried. "I'm suffocating!"

Reena, who was also being squished into the other side of the elevator, called out to Natalie.

"You and me both." She said. She was sandwiched between Sirius and Goku, most likely the two most built people in the elevator. Finally, there was a musical beeping sound and the elevator came to a standstill.

"Finally!" Vegeta shouted, making his way through the crowd and tearing through the doors, knocking an old lady and her fluffy white dog out of the way.

With sweatdrops, Natalie, Goten, and Trunks stepped off of the elevator as well. Goku was next, followed by Reena, Sirius, and finally Ceres.

"Just follow me." Natalie said, sighing, and walked down the hall. She arrived at a room and stopped, turning to face the others. "This is the only room left. Unfortunately, it looks like we're all going to have to share it."

"Just how big is this room?" Reena inquired, stepping up to Natalie and trying to look in through the peephole, but had no success seeing as she was on the wrong side of the lens.

"Not very big." Natalie said as the others walked up to join her. "Ceres and Reena, you two sleep with me. The three boys get the other bed."

"But Natalie they're only king size!" Trunks complained. "I'll sleep on the floor..."

Natalie looked at Trunks.

"Then the floor it is. I'll try to talk Kakarotto or Gohan into letting the girls stay in their room tonight, seeing as Veggie-chan won't have it." She said, and looked over to Vegeta, who was entering his room next to theirs. He shot a glare at her before walking through the doorway and slamming it shut behind him.

"Carina...tell me. Do you and Vegeta-sama fight like this...all the time?" Sirius asked. Natalie just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Two Saiya-jin deities with short tempers living in the same building...think about it." She said, and clicked the handle of the door, causing it to swing open. "And call me Natalie."

"Bu...but Car-"

"Natalie!" she said correctively, turning and looking into Sirius' eyes as she narrowed her own.

He was easily six inches taller than her, about Trunks' height, maybe even taller. However, though he could appear to be intimidating, his blue eyes were soft. Besides, he didn't frighten her. Nobody did anymore.

"I...I'm sorry." She said, backing away and looking past his shoulder. "I just...don't like living in the past."

"I understand." He said, and brushed past her, walking into the room. Ceres and Goten walked in as well, followed by Trunks, and then Reena.

"No he doesn't." Natalie whispered to herself. Reena turned her head as she walked into the room and looked at Natalie.

"Why do you say that?" she asked softly. Natalie just shook her head and walked out into the hallway again. Reena decided to give the girl some time to herself and walked back into the hotel room, allowing the door to close on it's own.

"Hey Nat-chan, why the long face?"

Natalie turned around to see Goku leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"Kakarotto!" Natalie cried. "I thought you had gone into your room."

"Chi-Chi kicked me out for a few minutes." He said, closing his eyes and grinning the famous Son grin.

"Oh..." Natalie said, subconsciously swaying her tail back and forth, occasionally wrapping it around her leg and unwrapping it again.

"Something is bothering you, isn't it?" Goku said, relaxing his arms and allowing them to dangle at his side as he pulled away from the wall and stood upright, looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"Iie...I'm just..." she trailed off, turning her head the other way as her eyes started to water.

"Just what?" Goku asked, taking half a step toward her.

"Kakarotto stay there." She said commandingly, still not turning back to him. "I don't know what's wrong with me. A person can only dream of living the life of a princess, a Saiya-jin, a warrior. But sometimes, the grass is greener on the other side, no matter who you are."

"You feel responsible, don't you?" Goku asked. "For what happened?"

"I guess you could say that." She replied, and then sighed. "I just want to relax. It's great saving the world, but Kakarotto, I don't know how you keep it up."

"It takes a strong heart and a strong mind, not just a strong body." Goku explained. "You're only sixteen years old. How can you expect to have the wisdom and experience of an older fighter?"

"Because I'm the fucking Shiroi no Tenshi, and that's my responsibility." She snapped. "I have a responsibility to my friends, my loved ones, and my future family."

"Natalie calm down. You're letting your anger take control of you." Goku said, his face growing concerned.

"I can't help it!" she hissed.

"Vegeta had that exact same problem when he first came to Earth." Goku said. "He still has trouble with it if he's provoked. You're angry because you feel helpless. Believe me, the Z-senshi know this feeling."

"I don't care!" she cried bitterly. "I'm not a Z-senshi!"

Inside the room, Reena heard Natalie's cries from the hallway. She stood up and walked over to the door, looking through the peephole. She was arguing with the other Saiya-jin.

Just then, Trunks and Sirius walked up next to Reena.

"What's going on?" Trunks asked, confused.

"Nothing." Reena said quickly. "I just thought I heard something."

Just then, they heard the sound of Natalie's voice and Trunks looked through the peephole as well.

"What in Kami's name is she doing?" he said, reaching for the door handle.

"Iie, leave her alone." Reena said, placing her hand on Trunks' and pulling him back. She then shot a reassuring look at Sirius as if to say "back off".

Natalie felt her blood pressure rise with every breath she took. The rage surged through her as she thought about Goku's words. She did feel responsible. And rightfully so. She couldn't expect to be a princess, a Saiya-jin, or the Shiroi no Tenshi without having to work. So what was the big deal? Why did it make her so angry?

"Natalie, you either calm down right now, or I'm taking you out of the hotel before you hurt innocent people." Goku said, his face turning from the worried expression to a hard, serious one.

Natalie didn't even blink. She wasn't powering up on purpose. She honestly couldn't control it.

Without another word, Goku grabbed her arm and teleported out of the hallway before she could raise her ki another increment.

Reappearing in a deserted plain in the valley of one of the volcanoes, Goku stepped away from the girl, who jumped back in shock, not having expected it.

"If you want to release your anger, you do it here." He said, staring at her with a stone-like expression.

Natalie looked at the warrior. Though he had the reputation of being naïve and not very bright, Natalie saw the wisdom and wear that had been sewn into him throughout his life. He had a good heart and a sincere mind, and he cared about others. Now she realized that he had been talking about all along.

"You're..." she trailed off.

"Just like you." He said, nodding. "I used to be."

Natalie dropped her guard and peered into the mind and soul of the Saiya-jin warrior before her.

"Kakarotto-san....gomen nasai." She said, looking at the ground. "I'm sure you never had this problem, but anger is hard to control, especially for me."

"Maybe all you need is someone to teach you to keep your anger under control." Goku said. Natalie looked at him.

"Are you suggesting-"

"I am." Goku interrupted her. Her lips upturned into a small smile and her face softened. "But you have to be committed to it, no giving up."

"Of course not, Kakarotto. Since when do Saiya-jins give up?"