"One's Quest,
Another's Journey"
1 Part 1
In her mind, Cora was lost, kept up in one place too long. So long in fact, she could not remember the last time she ever went out on a quest for her own good and well-being.
Born in up state New York, she was an only child, with her mother. Her father had left them after Cora was born and in her mind, even at an early age, Cora figured out on her own why her father left them so quickly. Her mother never really cared to tell her daughter the truth or even a lie about it all. When Cora was eighteen years of age, her mother and grandfather had both died in a car crash on their way back home from the grocery store. From that, she had inherited her mother's money and her grandfather's house. Both of them were not all that well to do in money, but it was enough to surprise even the simplest of people.
She was now twenty-one years of age and lived by herself in the house she inherited by her grandfather. The house wasn't that big to her, but big enough where she couldn't clean it all by herself when she needed to. She had no one to love, or even wanted to, because she was too busy figuring herself out. She felt lost and trapped, she didn't know where to go or how to go anywhere, since she lost her mother and grandfather, the only two that kept her alive it seemed.
She got up from the couch in the main living room, and walked slowly, longingly to the great window that over looked the valley on the property. The midnight moon shinned brightly as its fullness moved to its peak of beauty. She smiled softly at the moon as she walked over to her stereo system to play some music. Choosing the music she loved most, she pushed play. As the music began, she began to dance like an Arabian Princess.
Her hair was fairly long and wavy dark brown, her eyes blue-green, but mostly green at times. She was fairly tall too, almost six feet tall. Her body was well curved that would make Mother Earth proud, her arms and legs well built with strength, but not so much as to stop the form of her natural beauty. She wore an Arabian Princess' outfit as she danced, the many shades of green fabric flowing all around her as she danced, the music seeming to make her float in the air. She danced so beautifully, as if the stars and the moon were her audience for that night of mystic bliss. Unbeknownst to herself on another form of Earth called Chikyuu, another restless soul needed to get out too.
Piccolo was looking out atop the Lookout with Dende by his side. They both watched almost boringly, like two lazy cats on a fence post.
"It's too quiet now." Piccolo growled.
"I know. Believe it or not, I'm actually getting bored up here." Dende added. "It's like you have more fun than I do."
Piccolo couldn't but help looking at his fellow Namek in an amazed look on his face. Dende, the one that has the high power of guarding Chikyuu and he has just about everything he ever could want up here on the Lookout?
"Yes, I'm serious, Piccolo, I'm actually bored up here, aren't you? Aren't you bored being down there some times? The only thing you do most of the time is meditate."
Piccolo looked out in front of him, seeing the clouds go by, as he pondered this thought that was pretty much true.
"Dende, I believe you are right. It is boring up here and down there," he said pointing to the ground below. "But how can we both get rid of this boredom?"
Dende look down at Chikyuu, thinking for a time and then with a sharp look back at Piccolo he smiled.
"I have an idea. How about we use the Dragon Balls to send you to Earth?"
Piccolo twitched his eye a bit. "Why would I want to go to that planet?"
"Well, just to cure the boredom and just to find something new out there. And well, I can't very well leave my Lookout. If I wanted to leave I could only go down to Chikyuu for a while. You'll have to go to Earth for me, for the both of us. Look at it as a journey to learn new things."
Piccolo thought for a moment then looked at Dende again.
"Why not, I haven't had a vacation ever." He said with curiosity in his eyes.
Dende nodded and telepathically called for Gohan to find the Dragon Balls again and bring them to him.
A few days passed and Gohan came back finally with all seven Dragon Balls.
"Hi, Gohan, glad you made it back." Dende said, as Gohan put the balls on the ground near Dende.
"Don't mind me by asking, but I don't think we really need anything by the Eternal Dragon. How many wishes can be made anyway?" Gohan asked.
"I think only one this time and I need that wish for Piccolo to use." He replied. "He and I are so bored up here I had a great idea to let Piccolo explore Earth, the other Earth that has been fabled to be real."
"Wow! An adventure I would love to go on, but I can't, I have to take care of Pan now." Gohan said enthusiastically. "But when you get back Piccolo, I want to hear everything about your trip."
"So do I," Dende added. "Gohan, I'd like you to be witness to this, so you can explain to everyone else for me."
"Sure."
With the seven Dragon Balls on the ground before Dende's feet, he began to call upon the Great Eternal Dragon. Soon after saying the words, all the balls began to glow brightly and as they glowed one single very long beam of golden light shot out from the center of the clutch of balls. As soon as the light formed, the Great Dragon took full form. His body long and slender, but strong looking, the color of him was all shades of green shinning brightly. Two golden horns atop his head, his claws sharp and golden tipped. His eyes bright red and shinning like the sun.
"Who has awakened me from my sleep?" the Dragon called out, his loud; deep voice rumbling like thunder.
"I have, Great Dragon, I Dende, guardian of Chikyuu." Dende replied.
"Very well, you have only one wish to make. Make it now." The Dragon called out.
Piccolo stood next to Dende, eagerly waiting for the wish to be granted.
"I wish for Piccolo to go to the mortal world called Earth. To have a journey of his own to learn from and to just have an adventure," he said, his arms up in the air.
"Very well," the Dragon replied, as his eyes glowed a brighter shade of red. "Your wish has been granted." With that the Eternal Dragon retuned back into the Dragon Balls and all the balls went their separate directions around Chikyuu once again, to regenerate for a full year.
"Well, have fun for us all, Piccolo." Gohan said, Dende nodding in reply.
"I will, and I'd better be able to get back."
"You will, I promise." Dende said, just as Piccolo vanished to begin his journey and adventure to the mortal planet called Earth.
Back on Earth,
It was a fairly quiet night of just basking in the night's darkness, as she sat near the fireplace, sipping some green tea. The old-fashioned English grandfather red oak clock shimmed the morning hour of one. She slowly looked up into the fireplace, its golden flames dancing wildly as the heat soothed her. Staring deeply into the flames, Cora could see a figure of a white-cloaked man walking in the countryside of Japan. She backed away in fear of this image, she did not see his face, but knew something was strangely familiar about him to her. She whipped off the sweat from her brow and crawled to the bookcase that held all her information book collection of anime. She fingered the hardbound book spins until she found what she was looking for. With one finger she pulled out "The Ultimate Dragonball World Collection Guide" book. She flipped to the colored photo section in the book about Piccolo and stared at one of the photos for a moment. She looked back at the fireplace, the hazy image of the white- cloaked man still there, walking.
"Nay, it can't be him. He's only a story, or at least part of the story of this great anime." Cora said out loud as she looked at all the Piccolo photos. Holding the book open she stood up and walked over to her hand made astrology chart and papers on her oak desk. She flipped through all the free flowing papers until she found Piccolo's chart.
She had studied all the anime characters from her books and with the help of the creators themselves to finish her study and research. It was a good thing that she found out this character's astrology charts so soon, without it, she would not have found something so interesting by now. She stared at Piccolo's chart and just about fainted. By her study of him, she could see it was all making since. By the chart Piccolo was born, by mortal Earth, as a Sagittarius, he had seemed to be lucky, very wise, spiritual, he traveled a lot, and he always had seemed to be in calculated risks in his life. A loner, which says for his traveling and being very independent and he seemed he always wanted to expand his views on himself. His colors for him, made so much since, purple, rust, and hunter green. Green for his skin of course, purple for the part of his turban, gi outfit, and the blood that flowed within him; and rust, for where he lived of his surroundings. She did not know what day he may have been born on this Earth, but she knew enough to surprise herself greatly.
She dropped Piccolo's chart on the floor and the book after. She just stood there in shock and innocent amazement of what she had found. She walked to the great living room window, standing there watching the stars twinkle. She had the best view around in up state New York, hardly any other houses around and she was in perfect bliss of nature's beauty all around her.
It was August, the hottest time of the year it seemed her, but it's nights were cold, it was also the time for the shooting stars. As she watched, seven stars fell together in the formed shape of the Dragon Balls, as if they were laid out on the ground before Dende or Kami's feet for awakening the Eternal Dragon. Those seven stars fell slowly as she watched on; she could only have her mouth gapping open in amazement.
'Is it coming true,' she thought to herself. 'Is my prediction coming true about Piccolo coming to Earth?' Soon after, the seven stars faded back into the darkness of space.
In the countryside of Japan,
Piccolo looked up at the sun, shading his eyes a bit. He had already seen the shooting stars that night and knew someone was looking at them right now on the other side of the planet. He was up in the mountains of Japan where hopefully no one would find him for a while.
'I have to find better clothing than what I've got. I don't want anyone to hunt me down.' He thought to himself, as he walked down the mountain. Looking over the edge of the cliff, he could see a simple cottage style house, children playing outside around it. He fixed his cap around his face and hid his hands from view as he continued to walk down the mountain.
"Momma, look up there!" a young boy cried out pointing in the direction of the mountains. The boy's mother ran outside of the house and looked in the direction where her son pointed.
"What is it, Ki-su?" his mother said, as she looked up at the mountains.
"A man is walking down the mountain," he said still pointing.
She squinted her eyes to see and there sure enough there was that tall man walking the mountain.
'Maybe they can help me, I hope.' Piccolo said as he walked out of the forest edge of the meadow. Once he got close enough to the house, the mother came out to greet him.
Bowing to him, "Welcome to my home, sir," she said as Piccolo bowed in return. "May we help you?"
He cleared his throat. "I am in need of some new cloths for my travels ahead. Do you." his question was stopped as the mother answered for him.
"Yes, we do, we have plenty of fabrics. I can make you some right now, if you'd like?" she said kindly, smiling at him. She looked curiously at his attire, only being able to see his dark black eyes. "Come in, come in and make yourself comfortable," she said guiding him in the way of the house.
As he entered into the cottage, he saw two young boys seated on a couch looking at him. The oldest one looked to be eighteen years of age, almost looking like Gohan back on Chikyuu. The really young one looked to be five years of age and he looked a lot like Goten. He nodded at the boys for a bit of a thank you. They both stared at him, with no reaction.
"Sit, sit. I will make some tea for you." She said.
"No thank you, regular water will be just fine for me," he said pulling out a water canteen, making sure not to show his hands to them. The woman nodded and filled up his canteen with the water from the well that was in the house. She turned around and saw that her boys were still staring.
"What have I told you boys?" she said with a stern voice just like ChiChi's.
The boys perked up suddenly and turned their eyes away.
"The little one there is named Ki-su and my oldest is Kentaro," she said handing the canteen to Piccolo. "My boys and I have lived here for many years. Their father Geson was killed in a land slid many years ago."
"I'm sorry," he replied.
"Thank you. The boys and I were very close to Geson," she said sipping some fresh green tea. "And my name is Tasu. What is your name, sir?"
"My name is Piccolo. I came here just to travel the world on my own." He replied.
"Interesting name, Mr. Piccolo."
"Please, just call me Piccolo," he corrected, she nodding in response.
"Oh goodness me, I almost forgot about making you your clothing. I need to have your measurements," she said, getting out a measuring tape.
"All I really need is the fabric, a large amount of it and I'll make what I need on my own."
"Okay then," she said motioning for him to follow her into the house cellar. Her two young boys following close behind Piccolo, just watching him. Deep inside it was dark, until she turned on the light. The room was filled with many kinds of fabrics in all kinds of colors. "Geson used to work in the market when he was younger. His boss, which he was a very good man, gave him these fabrics that no one wanted and after working for him for so long, he gave him some good fabrics after a while. You may choose as much as you may need."
Piccolo fingered the fabrics, his hand hidden from view.
"Do you have any fabric for winter and summer weathers?" he asked.
"Oh yes," she said, turning to gather some dark; heavy fabric. "I think this should do you well." She put the bolt of fabric on the cutting table and wound out some of it in long yards. "How much?" Piccolo picked up the seizers and started to cut the fabric on the table. Tasu stood back and let him work.
After a while of choosing, cutting and folding the fabrics he wanted, he carried them to the living room and folded them neatly all together in a pack.
"Don't mind me by asking, but why are you covered up so much?" Kentaro asked nervously.
"I just like it this way." He said, slightly glaring at the boy to hush his words. "You're oldest is polite, and quick to ask."
"Yes, he sure is," Tasu said glaring at her son. He backed away a bit. "If you are going to make your clothing later, you will need some needles and thread," she said handing him two spools of dark thread and a pack of needles.
"Arigato," he bowing a bit.
"Your welcome, Piccolo."
"I should be on my way. Thank you so very much for your hospitality and kindness. I shall visit you again someday," he said carrying the fabric and everything else he had with him. He walked out of the house and waved goodbye as an afternoon mist rose over the mountains, the mist making him disappear into it.
As soon as he was deep enough in the mountains, he removed his cloak to reveal his face and hands again.
'I have to make a mask or something for myself. I have no idea how these people will take it of what I look like,' He thought to himself.
Walking most of the day, he finally came across a cave in the mountain. The cave was dry and spacey, enough for him to move around it, but not too big as to make it so cold in the cave. He gathered some dead bamboo stocks and started to make a fire near the entrance to the cave. He stepped outside the cave and began to put the fabrics out on branches. He had four kinds of fabric, black leather, dark green cotton, a dark blue silky kind for hot weather, and a black very heavy kind of thick cotton. It didn't take him long that day and night, by firelight, to finish making a hooded cloak out of the heavy cotton black fabric, with long sleeves, and underneath that, he put his weighted shoulder pads sawn in it. A new turban out of the regular dark green cotton, and a fairly see through vale kind of mask to put underneath his new hooded cloak and some black leather gloves for his hands. He did not change his gi outfit one bit. He finally put his new cloak on, it fitting perfectly, the gloves fitting perfect too and the turban.
'There, now no one will find out what I look like.' He said to himself as he wrapped himself up in the cloak and sat on the ground near the fire, to meditate the night away.
The next day back at Cora's house, she awoke fairly early to get fixed up. She felt anew inside herself, it being way too long since the last time she went on an adventure by herself.
The last time was too long and then again too short to keep going. A year or so after her mother and grandfather's crash, she want to Africa to go on a safari. There she found her power of predicting the future and magic inside herself of the old ways of fae. She had stayed with an old African shaman that taught her of the old ways of the land and how to survive out there. She learned everything from hunting live game with a spear, to where to find water and what and what not to eat of small things.
After she got back from that adventure, she then found herself wrapped up into the world of Japanese anime. She collected anything and everything that had information just about the characters and the anime and mangas themselves. Not like other fans that would collect the toys, cards, posters, etc.she only collected information for her own amusement, and if she had known once of what lay in front of her right at this very moment of a new quest, she would have been scared if she didn't know anything of the truth. For that, she did, and it had made her feel proud to know what she knew.
"I have to find out if it really is him," she said out loud as she began to pack up her backpacks and everything else that she needed for this quest that would be vital to her later on. "Even if we never meet out there on this Earth, at least I would have already known that you were there and from that I have gone out on another quest for my well-being again." She said smiling, a warm light within her heart sang out, she felt so good and she just couldn't wait to start traveling.
Eager as a little beaver to build a new dam, she called up her travel agent and ordered a first class ticket to Africa for starts then she would go from there. She then called a cab and he drove her to the airport.
She got to the airport so quick it seemed that time just flew by at light speed. She stepped out of the cab and grabbed all her stuff. Her camping pack, regular backpack, two canteens, camera, and everything else she had with her she grabbed. She put mostly everything on the ground near the cab and asked for an airport guard to take a picture for her. She thanked the man and then went on her way.
'Wow!' she thought. 'This is amazing! I'm about to start a new quest, a quest that no one will figure out and I will not tell a soul about this, it will be me and Piccolo's little secret. Even if I meet up with him.' She chuckled, excitement running through her body. She ran as fast as she could to the gate and made it just as the plane began to board. She checked all her things in and her ticket, and only took her camera on the plane with her.
Soon, Cora was up in the air, heading for Africa to meet up with the old shaman once again to speak with him. It was to be the beginning of a great adventure, journey, quest, call it what you want, it was to be the biggest thing that Piccolo and Cora would ever do together, even if they both never met. But deep inside Cora, she knew she would meet up with Piccolo on a path going two separate directions. There they may stop and talk or just go on without even knowing it. Only time and the place of the Earth and stars would tell them the truth, but even they kept it a secret from them, but not for long.
Another's Journey"
1 Part 1
In her mind, Cora was lost, kept up in one place too long. So long in fact, she could not remember the last time she ever went out on a quest for her own good and well-being.
Born in up state New York, she was an only child, with her mother. Her father had left them after Cora was born and in her mind, even at an early age, Cora figured out on her own why her father left them so quickly. Her mother never really cared to tell her daughter the truth or even a lie about it all. When Cora was eighteen years of age, her mother and grandfather had both died in a car crash on their way back home from the grocery store. From that, she had inherited her mother's money and her grandfather's house. Both of them were not all that well to do in money, but it was enough to surprise even the simplest of people.
She was now twenty-one years of age and lived by herself in the house she inherited by her grandfather. The house wasn't that big to her, but big enough where she couldn't clean it all by herself when she needed to. She had no one to love, or even wanted to, because she was too busy figuring herself out. She felt lost and trapped, she didn't know where to go or how to go anywhere, since she lost her mother and grandfather, the only two that kept her alive it seemed.
She got up from the couch in the main living room, and walked slowly, longingly to the great window that over looked the valley on the property. The midnight moon shinned brightly as its fullness moved to its peak of beauty. She smiled softly at the moon as she walked over to her stereo system to play some music. Choosing the music she loved most, she pushed play. As the music began, she began to dance like an Arabian Princess.
Her hair was fairly long and wavy dark brown, her eyes blue-green, but mostly green at times. She was fairly tall too, almost six feet tall. Her body was well curved that would make Mother Earth proud, her arms and legs well built with strength, but not so much as to stop the form of her natural beauty. She wore an Arabian Princess' outfit as she danced, the many shades of green fabric flowing all around her as she danced, the music seeming to make her float in the air. She danced so beautifully, as if the stars and the moon were her audience for that night of mystic bliss. Unbeknownst to herself on another form of Earth called Chikyuu, another restless soul needed to get out too.
Piccolo was looking out atop the Lookout with Dende by his side. They both watched almost boringly, like two lazy cats on a fence post.
"It's too quiet now." Piccolo growled.
"I know. Believe it or not, I'm actually getting bored up here." Dende added. "It's like you have more fun than I do."
Piccolo couldn't but help looking at his fellow Namek in an amazed look on his face. Dende, the one that has the high power of guarding Chikyuu and he has just about everything he ever could want up here on the Lookout?
"Yes, I'm serious, Piccolo, I'm actually bored up here, aren't you? Aren't you bored being down there some times? The only thing you do most of the time is meditate."
Piccolo looked out in front of him, seeing the clouds go by, as he pondered this thought that was pretty much true.
"Dende, I believe you are right. It is boring up here and down there," he said pointing to the ground below. "But how can we both get rid of this boredom?"
Dende look down at Chikyuu, thinking for a time and then with a sharp look back at Piccolo he smiled.
"I have an idea. How about we use the Dragon Balls to send you to Earth?"
Piccolo twitched his eye a bit. "Why would I want to go to that planet?"
"Well, just to cure the boredom and just to find something new out there. And well, I can't very well leave my Lookout. If I wanted to leave I could only go down to Chikyuu for a while. You'll have to go to Earth for me, for the both of us. Look at it as a journey to learn new things."
Piccolo thought for a moment then looked at Dende again.
"Why not, I haven't had a vacation ever." He said with curiosity in his eyes.
Dende nodded and telepathically called for Gohan to find the Dragon Balls again and bring them to him.
A few days passed and Gohan came back finally with all seven Dragon Balls.
"Hi, Gohan, glad you made it back." Dende said, as Gohan put the balls on the ground near Dende.
"Don't mind me by asking, but I don't think we really need anything by the Eternal Dragon. How many wishes can be made anyway?" Gohan asked.
"I think only one this time and I need that wish for Piccolo to use." He replied. "He and I are so bored up here I had a great idea to let Piccolo explore Earth, the other Earth that has been fabled to be real."
"Wow! An adventure I would love to go on, but I can't, I have to take care of Pan now." Gohan said enthusiastically. "But when you get back Piccolo, I want to hear everything about your trip."
"So do I," Dende added. "Gohan, I'd like you to be witness to this, so you can explain to everyone else for me."
"Sure."
With the seven Dragon Balls on the ground before Dende's feet, he began to call upon the Great Eternal Dragon. Soon after saying the words, all the balls began to glow brightly and as they glowed one single very long beam of golden light shot out from the center of the clutch of balls. As soon as the light formed, the Great Dragon took full form. His body long and slender, but strong looking, the color of him was all shades of green shinning brightly. Two golden horns atop his head, his claws sharp and golden tipped. His eyes bright red and shinning like the sun.
"Who has awakened me from my sleep?" the Dragon called out, his loud; deep voice rumbling like thunder.
"I have, Great Dragon, I Dende, guardian of Chikyuu." Dende replied.
"Very well, you have only one wish to make. Make it now." The Dragon called out.
Piccolo stood next to Dende, eagerly waiting for the wish to be granted.
"I wish for Piccolo to go to the mortal world called Earth. To have a journey of his own to learn from and to just have an adventure," he said, his arms up in the air.
"Very well," the Dragon replied, as his eyes glowed a brighter shade of red. "Your wish has been granted." With that the Eternal Dragon retuned back into the Dragon Balls and all the balls went their separate directions around Chikyuu once again, to regenerate for a full year.
"Well, have fun for us all, Piccolo." Gohan said, Dende nodding in reply.
"I will, and I'd better be able to get back."
"You will, I promise." Dende said, just as Piccolo vanished to begin his journey and adventure to the mortal planet called Earth.
Back on Earth,
It was a fairly quiet night of just basking in the night's darkness, as she sat near the fireplace, sipping some green tea. The old-fashioned English grandfather red oak clock shimmed the morning hour of one. She slowly looked up into the fireplace, its golden flames dancing wildly as the heat soothed her. Staring deeply into the flames, Cora could see a figure of a white-cloaked man walking in the countryside of Japan. She backed away in fear of this image, she did not see his face, but knew something was strangely familiar about him to her. She whipped off the sweat from her brow and crawled to the bookcase that held all her information book collection of anime. She fingered the hardbound book spins until she found what she was looking for. With one finger she pulled out "The Ultimate Dragonball World Collection Guide" book. She flipped to the colored photo section in the book about Piccolo and stared at one of the photos for a moment. She looked back at the fireplace, the hazy image of the white- cloaked man still there, walking.
"Nay, it can't be him. He's only a story, or at least part of the story of this great anime." Cora said out loud as she looked at all the Piccolo photos. Holding the book open she stood up and walked over to her hand made astrology chart and papers on her oak desk. She flipped through all the free flowing papers until she found Piccolo's chart.
She had studied all the anime characters from her books and with the help of the creators themselves to finish her study and research. It was a good thing that she found out this character's astrology charts so soon, without it, she would not have found something so interesting by now. She stared at Piccolo's chart and just about fainted. By her study of him, she could see it was all making since. By the chart Piccolo was born, by mortal Earth, as a Sagittarius, he had seemed to be lucky, very wise, spiritual, he traveled a lot, and he always had seemed to be in calculated risks in his life. A loner, which says for his traveling and being very independent and he seemed he always wanted to expand his views on himself. His colors for him, made so much since, purple, rust, and hunter green. Green for his skin of course, purple for the part of his turban, gi outfit, and the blood that flowed within him; and rust, for where he lived of his surroundings. She did not know what day he may have been born on this Earth, but she knew enough to surprise herself greatly.
She dropped Piccolo's chart on the floor and the book after. She just stood there in shock and innocent amazement of what she had found. She walked to the great living room window, standing there watching the stars twinkle. She had the best view around in up state New York, hardly any other houses around and she was in perfect bliss of nature's beauty all around her.
It was August, the hottest time of the year it seemed her, but it's nights were cold, it was also the time for the shooting stars. As she watched, seven stars fell together in the formed shape of the Dragon Balls, as if they were laid out on the ground before Dende or Kami's feet for awakening the Eternal Dragon. Those seven stars fell slowly as she watched on; she could only have her mouth gapping open in amazement.
'Is it coming true,' she thought to herself. 'Is my prediction coming true about Piccolo coming to Earth?' Soon after, the seven stars faded back into the darkness of space.
In the countryside of Japan,
Piccolo looked up at the sun, shading his eyes a bit. He had already seen the shooting stars that night and knew someone was looking at them right now on the other side of the planet. He was up in the mountains of Japan where hopefully no one would find him for a while.
'I have to find better clothing than what I've got. I don't want anyone to hunt me down.' He thought to himself, as he walked down the mountain. Looking over the edge of the cliff, he could see a simple cottage style house, children playing outside around it. He fixed his cap around his face and hid his hands from view as he continued to walk down the mountain.
"Momma, look up there!" a young boy cried out pointing in the direction of the mountains. The boy's mother ran outside of the house and looked in the direction where her son pointed.
"What is it, Ki-su?" his mother said, as she looked up at the mountains.
"A man is walking down the mountain," he said still pointing.
She squinted her eyes to see and there sure enough there was that tall man walking the mountain.
'Maybe they can help me, I hope.' Piccolo said as he walked out of the forest edge of the meadow. Once he got close enough to the house, the mother came out to greet him.
Bowing to him, "Welcome to my home, sir," she said as Piccolo bowed in return. "May we help you?"
He cleared his throat. "I am in need of some new cloths for my travels ahead. Do you." his question was stopped as the mother answered for him.
"Yes, we do, we have plenty of fabrics. I can make you some right now, if you'd like?" she said kindly, smiling at him. She looked curiously at his attire, only being able to see his dark black eyes. "Come in, come in and make yourself comfortable," she said guiding him in the way of the house.
As he entered into the cottage, he saw two young boys seated on a couch looking at him. The oldest one looked to be eighteen years of age, almost looking like Gohan back on Chikyuu. The really young one looked to be five years of age and he looked a lot like Goten. He nodded at the boys for a bit of a thank you. They both stared at him, with no reaction.
"Sit, sit. I will make some tea for you." She said.
"No thank you, regular water will be just fine for me," he said pulling out a water canteen, making sure not to show his hands to them. The woman nodded and filled up his canteen with the water from the well that was in the house. She turned around and saw that her boys were still staring.
"What have I told you boys?" she said with a stern voice just like ChiChi's.
The boys perked up suddenly and turned their eyes away.
"The little one there is named Ki-su and my oldest is Kentaro," she said handing the canteen to Piccolo. "My boys and I have lived here for many years. Their father Geson was killed in a land slid many years ago."
"I'm sorry," he replied.
"Thank you. The boys and I were very close to Geson," she said sipping some fresh green tea. "And my name is Tasu. What is your name, sir?"
"My name is Piccolo. I came here just to travel the world on my own." He replied.
"Interesting name, Mr. Piccolo."
"Please, just call me Piccolo," he corrected, she nodding in response.
"Oh goodness me, I almost forgot about making you your clothing. I need to have your measurements," she said, getting out a measuring tape.
"All I really need is the fabric, a large amount of it and I'll make what I need on my own."
"Okay then," she said motioning for him to follow her into the house cellar. Her two young boys following close behind Piccolo, just watching him. Deep inside it was dark, until she turned on the light. The room was filled with many kinds of fabrics in all kinds of colors. "Geson used to work in the market when he was younger. His boss, which he was a very good man, gave him these fabrics that no one wanted and after working for him for so long, he gave him some good fabrics after a while. You may choose as much as you may need."
Piccolo fingered the fabrics, his hand hidden from view.
"Do you have any fabric for winter and summer weathers?" he asked.
"Oh yes," she said, turning to gather some dark; heavy fabric. "I think this should do you well." She put the bolt of fabric on the cutting table and wound out some of it in long yards. "How much?" Piccolo picked up the seizers and started to cut the fabric on the table. Tasu stood back and let him work.
After a while of choosing, cutting and folding the fabrics he wanted, he carried them to the living room and folded them neatly all together in a pack.
"Don't mind me by asking, but why are you covered up so much?" Kentaro asked nervously.
"I just like it this way." He said, slightly glaring at the boy to hush his words. "You're oldest is polite, and quick to ask."
"Yes, he sure is," Tasu said glaring at her son. He backed away a bit. "If you are going to make your clothing later, you will need some needles and thread," she said handing him two spools of dark thread and a pack of needles.
"Arigato," he bowing a bit.
"Your welcome, Piccolo."
"I should be on my way. Thank you so very much for your hospitality and kindness. I shall visit you again someday," he said carrying the fabric and everything else he had with him. He walked out of the house and waved goodbye as an afternoon mist rose over the mountains, the mist making him disappear into it.
As soon as he was deep enough in the mountains, he removed his cloak to reveal his face and hands again.
'I have to make a mask or something for myself. I have no idea how these people will take it of what I look like,' He thought to himself.
Walking most of the day, he finally came across a cave in the mountain. The cave was dry and spacey, enough for him to move around it, but not too big as to make it so cold in the cave. He gathered some dead bamboo stocks and started to make a fire near the entrance to the cave. He stepped outside the cave and began to put the fabrics out on branches. He had four kinds of fabric, black leather, dark green cotton, a dark blue silky kind for hot weather, and a black very heavy kind of thick cotton. It didn't take him long that day and night, by firelight, to finish making a hooded cloak out of the heavy cotton black fabric, with long sleeves, and underneath that, he put his weighted shoulder pads sawn in it. A new turban out of the regular dark green cotton, and a fairly see through vale kind of mask to put underneath his new hooded cloak and some black leather gloves for his hands. He did not change his gi outfit one bit. He finally put his new cloak on, it fitting perfectly, the gloves fitting perfect too and the turban.
'There, now no one will find out what I look like.' He said to himself as he wrapped himself up in the cloak and sat on the ground near the fire, to meditate the night away.
The next day back at Cora's house, she awoke fairly early to get fixed up. She felt anew inside herself, it being way too long since the last time she went on an adventure by herself.
The last time was too long and then again too short to keep going. A year or so after her mother and grandfather's crash, she want to Africa to go on a safari. There she found her power of predicting the future and magic inside herself of the old ways of fae. She had stayed with an old African shaman that taught her of the old ways of the land and how to survive out there. She learned everything from hunting live game with a spear, to where to find water and what and what not to eat of small things.
After she got back from that adventure, she then found herself wrapped up into the world of Japanese anime. She collected anything and everything that had information just about the characters and the anime and mangas themselves. Not like other fans that would collect the toys, cards, posters, etc.she only collected information for her own amusement, and if she had known once of what lay in front of her right at this very moment of a new quest, she would have been scared if she didn't know anything of the truth. For that, she did, and it had made her feel proud to know what she knew.
"I have to find out if it really is him," she said out loud as she began to pack up her backpacks and everything else that she needed for this quest that would be vital to her later on. "Even if we never meet out there on this Earth, at least I would have already known that you were there and from that I have gone out on another quest for my well-being again." She said smiling, a warm light within her heart sang out, she felt so good and she just couldn't wait to start traveling.
Eager as a little beaver to build a new dam, she called up her travel agent and ordered a first class ticket to Africa for starts then she would go from there. She then called a cab and he drove her to the airport.
She got to the airport so quick it seemed that time just flew by at light speed. She stepped out of the cab and grabbed all her stuff. Her camping pack, regular backpack, two canteens, camera, and everything else she had with her she grabbed. She put mostly everything on the ground near the cab and asked for an airport guard to take a picture for her. She thanked the man and then went on her way.
'Wow!' she thought. 'This is amazing! I'm about to start a new quest, a quest that no one will figure out and I will not tell a soul about this, it will be me and Piccolo's little secret. Even if I meet up with him.' She chuckled, excitement running through her body. She ran as fast as she could to the gate and made it just as the plane began to board. She checked all her things in and her ticket, and only took her camera on the plane with her.
Soon, Cora was up in the air, heading for Africa to meet up with the old shaman once again to speak with him. It was to be the beginning of a great adventure, journey, quest, call it what you want, it was to be the biggest thing that Piccolo and Cora would ever do together, even if they both never met. But deep inside Cora, she knew she would meet up with Piccolo on a path going two separate directions. There they may stop and talk or just go on without even knowing it. Only time and the place of the Earth and stars would tell them the truth, but even they kept it a secret from them, but not for long.