Chapter 1
"GIRL! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT GOING TO HER PARK!" Rose's father bellowed as he got out of the chair he was sitting in as she entered the door. Before she could say anything, he was coming at her, removing his belt. She went for the closest corner and tried to make herself as small as possible. She hoped that he would leave her alone, but he didn't. She closed her eyes because she knew what was going to happen.
All too soon, the belt was upon her. It felt like a flame upon her skin each time she was hit. She didn't dare cry, for that would make him hit her even more than before. After about five or six times, she couldn't take it anymore. She tried to move out of the way, but that just caused her to be hit in the head by the buckle. She instantly felt blood flowing. with that, she grabbed the belt and then yanked it from her father's hand.
For a second, all he could do was stare at her. She would grab the belt every once in a while, but it surprised him every time. He gathered himself quickly and grabbed her by the hair. He pulled and she stood. He gave her a shove toward the kitchen. "Get in there and make me and your mo our dinner! And you're going to bed without it!" He called after her.
What did I do? Every kid is suppose to go to the park. And I AM getting my dinner, Rose thought as she cooked. Before she set the table, she went to the pantry and took some the food she hid away for a time such as this. She shut the door and went to the cabinet for the plates. She set the table and went to the kitchen door that connected to the living room.
"Mom, dad, it's time for dinner."
"You go straight to bed, you hear me!" Her father said in a stern voice.
"Yes, sir." she answered as she turned to go upstairs.
"You didn't eat anything, did you? It wouldn't be punishment if you ate something."
"Yes, sir. I know." Roe answered with her back to him, for she didn't want him to see the smile on her face.
"Go to bed. Now, Rose." Her father said when she didn't obey immediately.
"Yes, sir." She answered as she went into the living room to go upstairs.
Upstairs, after Rose had eaten the dinner she wasn't suppose have, she was lying in bed, thinking about the open wound on her head. She was sure her parents where done with dinner and that her father was in bed, because he had work the next day. She wanted to talk to her mother about her father. Her mother was usually one that didn't seem all there, and Rose's father said that it wa true. Rose didn't think so. There were days when she seemed clear-headed. When she was, Rose was told some wonderful stories. She hoped that her mother was clear-headed tonight.
Rose waited for about ten more minutes, just to make sure her father had went to bed, before she went downstairs. When she go to the living room, she saw her mother in her favorite chair and saw that she did look clear-headed. She was always in the best of moods when she was clear-headed.
"Mom?"
Claudia jumped and turned to look at Rose. Rose looked just like her. Light skin, long, thick, black hair, and big blue eyes. There was no denying that Rose was her daughter. Rose also had a power sleeping within her, Clauida could feel it.
"Yes, Rose?" She answered.
"Can I talk to you?"
"Sure. Come sit next to me." Claudia incited, patting the chair on her right. "What is it you want to talk about it, honey?"
"Daddy hit me," Rose said quickly, "And he made me bleed."
"He what!" Claudia asked, alarmed. "Rose, let me see where he hit you." Rose showed her the gash that the belt had made on her.
"Rose, I want to ask you something."
"Ok, mom."
"Do you want to get away from daddy?"
"Do you mean it?" Rose asked, a glimmer in her eye. It was then that Claudia realized Rose hated her father. Even though Claudia was never abused, she could see why Rose hated her father. Claudia never thought thought that John would do that.
"Rose, I think we might be leaving."
"What? We are?"
"Yes. Are you up to a long car ride, Rose?"
"Anything to get away from him, mom. I just don't want to get hit anymore."
"I understand."
"Are we leaving tomorrow?"
"Why not now? Go get your suitcase packed and we'll leave when we're ready, ok?"
"Ok." Rose said as she jumped up and walked to the stairs. She got there and turned around
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Where will we go?"
"I think I know. Just go get packed."
"Ok." Rose answered as she turned and went back upstairs.
Chapter 2
Claudia had called a cab after she had snuck into her and her husband's room to pack a suitcase. Her and Rose were in the cab and Claudia had her head against the back of the seat. Would her mom still recognize her? John kept her on so many different medications, she didn't even remember the last time she looked into a mirror. All that kept her going was Rose.
"Mom?" Rose asked, bringing her back to the present.
"Yes, Rose?" Claudia asked, looking at her and forcing a smile.
"Don't worry. Where ever we go, we'll be ok. I trust you with my life." Rose said, more serious than Claudia had ever seen her. It brought Claudia sadness at the rate Rose had grown up. She couldn't believe that she was already eight years old. Claudia was determined to watch Rose grow for the rest of her life.
"Thanks, honey. Don't you worry. I'll keep you safe. We should be there soon."
"Ok." Rose replied, holding her favorite rabbit.
After about an hour, the cab stopped at a house in the middle of the woods. She woke Rose up and paid the driver. She got her and Rose's suitcases and closed the trunk. As the cab drove off, Claudia and Rose walked up to the door. Claudia knocked on the door and hoped for the best.
After a few minutes, a woman answered the door. She looked at Claudia and asked,
"May I help you?"
"Pan?"
"Yes? Wait. Claudia? Is that really you?"
"Yes. Rose, come on out and meet your aunt Pan."
"What?" Pan said as Claudia moved the little girl from behind her.
"H-h-hi." Rose said.
"Who is it, Pan?" Rose heard a woman say, causing her to go back behind her mother again. Rose peeked around her mother and saw that the woman that she had heard was at the door.
"Claudia? Is that really you, Claudia?"
"Yes, mom. It's really me. Rose come back out here and meet your grandma."
"What? I have a granddaughter?" The woman asked. Rose came out from behind her mother once more and asked,
"You're my grandma? What's your name?"
"Videl."
"You're pretty."
"Thank you. What's your name, little one?"
"Rose."
"Such a pretty name for such a pretty girl."
"Thank you."
"Come on in. It's good to see you again, Claudia." Videl said as she shut the door and hugged her daughter. As they walked into the living room, Rose yawned.
"I'll get you a blanket and pillows and then you can go to sleep."
A few minutes later, Claudia and Rose were lying on the hidaway couch. I just hope I've done the right thing, Claudia thought, drifting to sleep.
John awoke the next morning and found that Claudia wasn't in the bed with him. Maybe she's in the bathroom, he thought as he made his way downstairs. He got to the kitchen and saw a piece of paper on the table. He picked it up and read what it said.
John,
Hitting Rose was the last straw. Rose came to me and told me what you done to her. We left and I'm keeping the bank account. It was in my name, anyway. You can keep the house and the car. Me and Rose will back for our things.
Good-bye,
Claudia
John re-read it twice before it sank in. After it did, he crumpled it up and said,
"I promise to find you and make you pay. No one, I mean NO ONE leaves me unless I say so!"
Claudia woke with a start. she had a dream that John was after her to kill her. She shivered and got up to go into the kitchen. Once there, her grandmother, Chi-chi, was standing at the stove, cooking breakfast.
"Good morning. Did you sleep well last night?"
"I guess so. It's nice to see you again, grandma." Claudia said as she gave her grandmother a hug. She sat at the table and remembered breakfasts from when she was little.
A few minutes later, Goten walked into the kitchen.
"Smells good, mom." He stopped in his tracks when he saw Claudia. "Claudia?"
"Yes?" Claudia answered, being pulled back to the present.
"What happened to you?"
"Huh?"
"That's a good question. What did happen? You look like you've beenout of it."
"I do? I haven't looked into a mirror for no telling how long. I don't know if I want to or not."
"Well, whatever the cause, some time at home will make that go away."
"Yeah. I guess it will. Some of your pancakes may help, too." Claudia said with a twinkle in her eye.
"Well, I guess you'll have to wait just like the rest of us." Chi-chi said with a chuckle.
Rose was standing at the door, unnoticed, watching her mother laugh. She never saw her do that before. Laughter at her house was as rare as a rose in the winter time. Mom's so pretty when she laughs, Rose thought. At that point, she was almost ran over by a man trying to get into the kitchen.
"Whoa. Be careful." The man said. He had black hair, just like her. He wore an orange outfit with blue clothes underneath. His shoes were blue and kept on his feet by pieces of rope. Rose thought that he didn't give off the same vibes as the rest of the adults. He felt more like a big kid.
"Hi. I'm Rose. What's your name?" Rose asked, since he didn't feel like an adult.
"My name's Goku. Nice to meet you, Rose." Goku said as he picked her up. He looked up and saw Claudia. "Claudia! It's been a while!"
"Yeah. Rose really seems to like you, grandpa."
"Grandpa? He's your grandpa? I thought he was just a big kid." That made everyone laugh.
"No. He's your great-grandpa. You can just call him grandpa Goku." Claudia said when she stopped laughing.
"Ok." Rose said.
"And this is your grandma, well, great-grandma, but you can just all her grandma Chi-chi." Claudia explained, pointing at the woman standing at the stove.
During breakfast, Rose's mom introduced her to the rest of her family. Rose didn't even know she HAD family other than her mother and father.
"Claudia, have you told Rose about her heritage?" Goku asked Claudia as they were finishing breakfast.
"No. John kept me on some kind of medication, so I didn't even know where I was most of the time. I would have, but I couldn't."
"Well, I think it's time that she learned. Come on, guys. We'll go outside while the women clean up the breakfast dishes."
"Mom, can I?" Rose asked, looking for approval.
"Sure. He's your grandpa. I trust him." Claudia said, never seeing her daughter so happy.
"Yay!" Rose cried, jumping from her chair.
"I think she's ready you guys. Let's go. Gohan said as he got up and pushed in his chair.
Chapter 3
Rose, Goku, Gohan, and Goten were all sitting out in the grass in the back yard. Goku looked at his sons, sitting on either side of him, then looked at Rose who was sitting across from him.
"Rose, there's something you need to know about your bloodline. You're not exactly human."
"What? What do you mean?" Rose asked, a little confused. "Wait. Is that why it never hurt when daddy hit me with his belt buckle last night?"
"He what!" Gohan cried, standing up. "Rose. Does Claudia know about this?"
"Yes, sir. That's why we came here." Rose said to her grandfather. "Grandpa Goku, what were you talking about exactly when you said that I wasn't quite human? What else am I?" She asked, looking at her great-grandfather.
"You're something called a sayian. You have genes of a sayian, but you can't do everything we can. but that's ok. We can show you something we can do, but you can't. it's pretty much the only thing. Watch." Goku explained as he stood up.
He looked at Rose and smiled. Suddenly, he started to scream and Rose jumped. Before she knew what was happening, she felt something and then saw her grandfather's hair turn blonde. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.
"What was that? When you yelled, I felt something. And why did your hair turn blonde like that?"
Goku laughed. "That feeling you got was called 'sensing'. It felt like it went up because my power level went up. You can learn moves, like this." Goku explained as he put up his hand and some yellow light shot out of it. "But you can't turn super, like me and the boys."
"Ok. I can live with that." Rose said. "What else can I do?"
Claudia was watching Rose through the kitchen window. Videl walked up behind her and said, "Claudia, rose is so beautiful. But then again, look at her mother."
"Oh, mom. Pan's always been the pretty one. But, yes, Rose IS beautiful. I just wish I had known John was abusive before. That's why we came here. John was hitting her with his belt. I didn't know that he was doing it because I was always on medication and Rose never told me until last night.
"When Rose told me, the first thing I thought was that I was so blind. How could I not see that she was being abused?"
"Claudia, it's not your fault. Her father apparently didn't have his priorities straight." Videl said, laying her hand on Claudia's shoulder.
"That wasn't her father. Her father died the same day that I found out I was pregnant with her." Claudia said, still looking out the window at her daughter.
"What? He wasn't? Does she know?" Chi-chi asked.
"No. I haven't told her yet. I don't know if she's old enough or not."
"You should. She does have the right."
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Claudia said with a deep sigh.
John was pacing the floor, waiting for Claudia to come back. She'll regret everything she put in the letter, he thought. He was sitting at the table when he heard the doorbell ring. That better be them, he thought as he got up to answer it. Just as he thought, it was them.
"What do you think you're doin' just runnin' off like that? You had me worried sick!"
"John, cut the crap. All we came here for was the rest of our clothes." Claudia said as she came in. Rose was right behind her.
"Hey, sweetie. I'm glad to see that you decided to come back home." John said as he looked at her.
"Don't call me that." Rose practically growled at him.
"What else is a daddy suppose to call his little girl?"
"You're not my daddy." Rose said lightly.
"Hmm? I couldn't understand you, sweetheart."
"You are NOT my daddy!" Rose screamed, running up the stairs to her room. John stood there in disbelief for a second and then ran up the stairs to his own room, where Claudia was filling up a suitcase.
"What are you telling Rose? She just told me that I wasn't her father."
"Well, it's the truth, ain't it?"
"Yes, but-"
"Enough said."
"But I raised her!" John yelled.
"That doesn't make you her father!" Claudia acreamed back. Unnoticed, Rose was standing in the doorway. Just as Rose walked up, she saw that John was staring at her mother as if she was something that he didn't agree to much with. Before Rose could say anything, John slapped Claudia, causing her to fall onto the bed.
"NOOO!" Rose screamed. She didn't realize that she moved until she saw her father on the floor, his knee broken. "Don't you EVER hit my mother again, you hear me, you little good-for-nothing jerk!" Rose screamed as Claudia held her back.
"Get that brat away from me!" John shouted at Claudia.
"Rose! Rose, calm down!" Claudia said, shaking Rose just enough for her to realize where she was. Rose looked at her mother, at John, and then screamed.
Chapter 4
Later that day, when Rose and Claudia were heading back out to Goku's, Claudia was worried. That was nothing but a tap. I'm glad she wasn't too mad. I better make sure that she learns to keep her anger in check.
"Mommy, I didn't mean to hit him, I promise. I saw him hit you, and I-I-I guess I just snapped." Rose said, tears streaming down her face. She just couldn't believe it. First, she had told him the he wasn't her daddy, then she hit him. "I'm a bad daughter. I bet I'm the only girl on earth that denied her daddy and then hit him."
"Rose, don't be so hard on yourself. It's hard for us to keep our calm, with what's in our blood, Rose." Claudia said, now ready to tell her what was overdue. "Rose, he's not your daddy."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What happened to my real daddy? What was his name?" Rose asked.
"His name was Jay, and he died the same day that I found out I was pregnant with you. Everyone says that you look so much like me, but, when I look at you, I see your father. When I lost your father, I think a little of his spirit went to you."
"Really? Was daddy nice? Unlike John?"
"He was the exact opposite of John. I still miss him, but knowing that I have you, it's a lot easier to get over him."
"So, how do I resemble daddy?"
"You're shy around older people, like he was. Well, except grandpa Goku." Claudia said with a laugh.
"You're so pretty when you laugh, mommy. You should laugh more often." Rose said, looking at her. She never looked prettier, Rose thought. I wonder if I'll be that pretty when I get bigger.
"Why, thank you, Rose. I'll keep that in mind. Rose?"
"Are you ok with this? Us leaving and all, I mean."
"Of course. Why?"
"You just seem so calm about it. Why is that?"
"I hate him." Rose said calmly.
"She hates me. I raised her and gave her all she needed, and this is all I get?" John said to himself at the hospital. "And that good-for-nothing mother of her's. I take her in and love her for eight years, and this is the thanks that I get?"
After thinking for a while, his eyes burned with hate. "I swear, if I do nothing else with this life, I'm going to find out where they are and I'm gonna kill that woman that Rose calls 'mother'. Then I'll get custody of her. Then she'll regret ever wanting to hit me. If it's the last thing I do, I swear, I will kill Claudia."
When Rose got home, she went to the back yard and sat. She couldn't believe that all this had happen when she told her mother that she was hit, she would have told her a lot sooner. She was glad to be away from the man that posed as her father. How could I ever call him 'dad'? He's not my father. Rose was furious with herself. Before she could catch herself, she was crying.
Claudia was watching from the kitchen window. Rose had her back to the window, so Claudia couldn't tell if she was upset or not. Claudia didn't know what to think about what had happened. She was furious with herself. How could I have missed Rose being beat? What kind of mother am I? Claudia tasted blood. She must have been chewing on her lip, which she done when she was nervous.
Chi-chi walked into the room and saw her granddaughter crying, looking out the window. "Claudia, honey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" she asked as she rushed to the window.
"Was I? I didn't even realize it." Claudia said, smiling though her tears. "I can't believe that I allowed Rose to be abused. I should have realized it."
"Claudia, don't beat yourself up over it. You couldn't do anything about it. He had you on medications." Chi-chi said in a soft voice.
"Yes, I know that, but sometimes he'd forget to give me the pills, and I'd be clear-headed. I should've noticed bruises during those times, but I didn't." Claudia said, her head hanging.
Rose wiped her eyes and then turned when she heard her grandfather Goku call her name.
"Yes?" Rose said as she stood up.
"Rose, you've been crying. What's wrong?"
"That man I called my father, that's what's wrong." she said bitterly, her eyes glowing with hate.
"What makes you hate your father so much?" Goku asked, never seeing anyone that young with so much hate in their eyes.
"He wasn't my real father." Rose answered.
"Really?" Goku asked, a little surprised.
"Yes. My real father died the day that mom found out she was pregnant with me."
"When did you find this out?"
"Just today. Now I know why he beat me all the time. I wasn't his, so he didn't see anything wrong with it."
"Oh, I see. Rose, how would you like to go in for a nice glass of milk?"
"Sure." Rose said, a smile coming to her face.
"Come on." Goku said, taking her hand.
Chapter 5
"Mom, when am I going back to school?" Rose asked a few days later. She liked taking some time off of school, but enough was enough. She was getting bored of all the walks she took. Besides, studying would help her keep her mind off things.
"Well, me and grandma Chi-chi have been talking about that, and we decided that we would homeschool you." Claudia answered.
"Homeschooled?"
"Yes."
"But what about the school I was going to?"
"I've pulled you out of that school. From now on, grandma Chi-chi will teach you. She taught me, aunt Pan, grandpa Gohan, and uncle Goten. Look at how we turned out."
"Oh. I see. You want it to be a family thing."
"Yep."
"What about when grandma Chi-chi passes away? Will grandma Videl take over?" Rose asked.
"I guess so. Well, grandma Chi-chi is waiting for you to go tell her you're ready to learn. Go on."
As Rose left the room, she turned to her mother and said, "I love you, mommy."
"I love you, too, honey." Claudia answered. She still couldn't believe that her little girl was growing up so fast.
A few weeks later, John was at home, but still on crutches. He was at he post office, getting Claudia's address.
"Here you are, sir." the receptionist said. He looked at the address and smiled. Now all I have to do, he thought to himself, is figure out how long to wait how long to kill her.
Rose had done her homework and was watching her grandpas and uncle out the window. They were doing what her grandpa Goku called 'training'. She wanted to do that, too. It looked like fun. She got up and when into the kitchen where her grandma Chi-chi was cooking supper.
"Grandma?"
"Yes, Rose?" Chi-chi replied, chopping an onion.
"I'm done with my homework. Can I go outside?"
"Yes, you may go outside." Chi-chi corrected her.
"Ok. Thank you." Rose said as she went to the door. Outside, she sat by the house and watched her family. After a few minutes, Goku glanced over and saw her. Goten thought that he was going to catch him off guard, and sent a punch toward his face. Rose sucked in her breath, but Goku caught his son's hand and looked at him.
Goku smiled and said,
"Hey, you're getting better at catching people off guard. Keep up the good work. I'll be right back." He let go of Goten's hand and walked over to Rose.
"Been sitting here for long?"
"No."
"Oh. Get your homework done?"
"Yep."
"Good."
"Grandpa?"
"Yes?"
"Can I play, too? I wanna learn to do what you do."
"We're not playing, Rose. This is how we stay strong. It's a lot of hard work." Goku explained.
"Oh." Rose said, sounding defeated. "Ok."
"But, I think that I know someone that will do this with you. He's not as strong as us, but he'll teach you just fine. How about that?"
Rose's eyes lit up. "Ok!" She answered.
"We better talk to mom and grandma first, ok?"
"Ok." Rose said, getting up. "Can I go ask now?"
"Go ask mom. I better talk to grandma."
"Ok."
Chapter 6
That night at supper, Rose looked at her grandfather and said,
"Can you ask her now?"
"Have you asked your mom?"
"Yes. Mommy said yes, but it's no if grandma says no."
"What? What do you need to ask me?" Chi-chi asked?
"Well, Rose wants to start training with us. I promise to let her start with Krillin and not let her do anything that will cause her to get hurt. I also promise to not let her train if she's not done with her homework. She has a lot of potential, but she is also very smart, and I don't want to see either go to waste." Goku explained.
"Well, I don't know." Chi-chi said.
"Please, grandma? I promise to do all my homework first before I train every single day." Rose pleaded, her face desperate.
"Well, if she has potential, it shouldn't go to waste. Plus, you are smart, and I'm definitely not going to let that go to waste. If I let you, do you promise to keep your grades up?"
"Yes!" Rose cried.
"Ok."
"YAY!" Rose cried, jumping out of her seat. She quickly realized what she had done, and then sat down in her chair, red as a beet. Everyone got a good laugh out of it.
The next morning, Rose was sitting at the table, eating breakfast. She looked at Chi-chi and said,
"Grandma, can we start right now? I bet mommy would do the dishes for you. Or maybe even Aunt Pan?"
"Well, you'd have to ask them. I don't mind starting earlier."
"Ok." Rose said. She ran to the living room, looking for her mom. She wasn't there so she went for the next best thing: Aunt Pan. Rose went to the back yard to find her in the flower garden, weeding. Rose walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. Pan nearly jumped out of her skin.
"Oops. Sorry, Aunt Pan. I wanted to ask you a question, since I can't find mommy." Rose explained.
"Ok. What do you want to ask?"
"Do you think that you could do the dishes so that grandma Chi-chi can get started with my lessons?" Rose asked.
"Sure." Pan answered.
"Yay!" Rose cried. "Well, everyone is done now. So you think that you can get started?"
"Sure. Let's go." Pan said, getting up. Rose ran back toward the house. She didn't realize that Goku was standing at the door, ran right into him, and then fell over.
"Well, you better watch where you're going, Rose." Goku said, helping her up.
"Sorry. Grandma Chi-chi is going to get Aunt Pan to do the dishes so we can get started on my lessons."
"Oh? I guess I oughta go talk to krillin. I'll be back a little before you get your homework done, ok?" Goku said.
"Ok, grandpa." Rose said, walking into the house.
Rose got done with her homework and then rushed tot he kitchen door.
"Rose." She froze in her tracks.
"Yes, grandma?" Rose asked.
"Are you done with your homework?"
"Yes, ma'am." Rose said, turning around.
"Ok. Go on outside."
"Ok." Rose said, opening the door. When she got outside, she saw her grandfather standing next to someone with black hair and just about as tall as she was. "Grandpa." Rose said as she walked up.
"Hi, Rose. Did you get your homework done?"
"Yes."
"Good. Rose, I want you to meet Krillin. He's going to help you train." Goku explained.
"Hi, Rose. You're as pretty as your mom." Krillin said.
"Thank you. It's ok if you teach me?"
"Sure. It gets me out of the house."
"Ok." Rose said. She put her fists up like she had seen on tv. "I'm ready. Let's get started."
"Hey, now. I've got to teach you some things, first." Krillin said.
"Oh." Rose said, dropping her hands. "Like what?"
"Well, do you know how to fly?"
"What? But that's impossible."
"We got a lot to do, then. I guess you can help us, Goku."
"Ok."
Rose caught on quickly. She was able to keep up with her training and maintain at least high B's. That made both her grandmother and her grandfather happy. It was a few months later, and it was her birthday. Goku had gotten her a surprise and she couldn't have it until she was done with her homework.
She had just gotten outside from doing her homework, and saw a really tall, green person with big ears. Rose didn't want to make him feel bad, so she went up to Goku and said,
"Grandpa, where's Krillin?"
"I think you're doing well enough to get an new trainer. The next level is Piccolo." Goku explained, pointing at the tall green man.
"Nice to meet you, sir." Rose said.
"Same here." Piccolo said. All of a sudden, he threw a punch at Rose, who barely dodged it. "Ok. We'll have to work on that a little." Piccolo said. "Hope you don't mind long hours."
"Nope. I'll train all you want. I enjoy doing this." Rose said.
"Ok." Piccolo said.
John had been watching Rose from the woods for the past few months. He saw that she was getting bigger and stronger for her age everyday.
One day, she was playing outside by herself, and that gave him an idea. I'll kidnap her. Heh, heh, heh. That'll teach her to leave me.
At that instant, Rose looked his way, and then he went back to where he had his car, planning on how he would kidnap her.
Rose was playing outside, Piccolo wasn't feeling well, so she wasn't feeling well today. As she looked at the little town she made out of rocks, she thought she saw something moving in the woods. She walked over to look, but didn't see anything. She went back the her little rock town to finish it.
She found some oblong rocks and had an idea. She went inside to see if she could get some paint and brushes, When she got in the kitchen, there was a woman with blue hair sitting at the table with her grandma Chi-chi. She all of a sudden felt very shy.
Chi-chi looked up and saw her. She smiled and said,
"Bulma, I want you to meet my great-granddaughter Rose. Rose, I want you to meet my friend, Bulma."
"Hello. It's nice to meet you, ma'am." Rose said, walking over to her grandmother. "Grandma, do you have any finger paints? I want to make some people for my little rock town." Rose explained taking her rocks out of her pocket.
"Sure. I'll be right back. You can stay here and talk to Bulma." Chi-chi said.
"Ok, thanks." Rose said as she sat at the table.
"Your grandma has told me a lot about you, Rose." Bulma said.
"Really? I'm no one important."
"Well, you are to her. She says that you're very smart. Do you know what you want to be when you grow up?" Bulma asked, noticing Chi-chi at the door, but not saying anything.
"That's hard to say. I've been hoping to become a scientist or a doctor. I think I'm leaning more toward a doctor, though." Rose said. Just as she did, Chi-chi walked into the room with the paints.
"I brought you some paper plates and some paint brushes, too. that way you won't get as messy. Go have fun." Chi-chi said.
"Thank you. "Oh, and I knew that you were standing at the door. I really want to be a teacher." Rose said as she went out the door.
Chapter 7
It was New Year's Eve, and Goku was going to take Rose somewhere. She had no clue where, but she was to meet more people. I don't think that I've ever met this many people in my life, Rose thought. I mean, I didn't even know the names of have the kids in my class.
Goku had told her that she was doing really well with her training and her flying. He also told her that she was ready for a different kind of training. She trusted him, so she said ok.
Rose didn't know how he had done it, but, Goku had some how gotten Chi-chi to agree. All she knew was that she got two days off from her schoolwork.
It was after breakfast, and Goku was ready to go. Chi-chi was giving Goku some last minute warnings.
"Goku, you make sure that you be careful with her in there. You make sure she eats right and don't keep her up to late. Ok?"
"Ok. I promise." Goku said.
"Good. Rose," Chi-chi said, looking at her, "You behave yourself, ok?"
"Ok." Rose agreed. About ten minutes later, they where off. Rose had never flew this far before. She looked at Goku and asked, "Grandpa, what if I can't make it? I never flew this far before."
"Well, if you think that you can't make it, you just tell me and I'll carry you, ok?"
"Ok." Rose said, looking out at the vast horizon, wondering what was out there. After about 15 minutes, she saw a tower off in the distance. "Grandpa, what's that?" Rose asked, pointing at the tower.
"That's where we're going. You doing ok?" Goku asked.
"Yes. I'm doing better than I thought I was going to."
"Yeah, me, too. Ok, we're almost there. We have to fly up to the top of the tower. There's a big platform that's called 'Dende's Lookout'." Goku explained.
"Really? Why's it called that?" Rose asked.
"Cause the guardian of the Earth lives there. His name is Dende."
"Oh, I get it. But what does that have to do with me?"
"There's a room up there called the 'Hyperbolic Time Chamber'. That's where we're heading."
"What's it for?"
"It's for training. In there, it's a whole year for a day out here."
"Oh, wow! That's amazing!" Rose said as they turned to go up. "So, what you're saying is that we're going to go in that room and we're gonna train for whole year, but only a day will pass out here?" Rose tried to explain to herself.
"Yep. Plus, you also get to meet the guardian of the Earth and his friend, Mr. Popo." Goku said.
"Ok." Rose said. A few minutes later, a platform came into view. I can make it, it shouldn't be too much longer, Rose thought. I know I can hold out until we get there. Befreo she knew what was happening, she was falling.
She sucked in her breath, waiting to hit the ground. Rose closed her eyes and thought she would never stop falling. All of a sudden, she stopped.
"Am I dead?" she asked.
"No." Goku answered. "Why didn;t you tell me that you couldn't fly any farther?"
"I thought that I could make it."
"Well, don't tell grandma. If you do, she'll never let me bring you here again."
"Ok, I promise." Rose said. As they landed, Goku set her down and said,
"Mr. Popo! Dende! We're here!" A tall green man, just like Piccolo, and a shorter, black man, came out to greet them.
"Hello, Goku. It's nice to see you," the green man said in a soft, kind voice. Piccolo has a very gruff, sometimes even mean, voice.
"It's nice to see you, too, Dende. How have you been, Mr. Popo?" Goku asked the black man.
"Oh, I've been fine. Who is this?" Mr. Popo asked.
"This is Rose. She's going to go into the Chamber with me." Goku explained. "Say, hi, Rose."
"Hi." Rose said. "It's nice to meet both of you."
"It's nice to meet you, too, Rose." Dende said.
"I like your voice. It's soft, like you have a good heart." Rose said. Dende was surprised. He had never had anyone say anything like that to him before.
"Um, thanks." Dende said.
"Rose, how old are you?" Mr. Popo asked.
"I'm nine. You know what?" she asked Popo.
"No, What?"
"I can feel that you're a very good person. That there is no trace of meaness in you."
"Oh?" Mr. Popo asked.
"Yes, sir. I'm very glad that I met you both. I hope that I can talk to you more some other time, but I do believe me and grandpa Goku are here to do something." Rose explained, appearntly very serious.
"Oh, yes." Mr. Popo said. "The room is ready, if you are."
"Ok. Ready, Rose?" Goku asked.
"Yep." Rose replied, a smile on her face.
"Ok, Mr. Popo. We're ready." Goku said, turning to him.
"This way." Mr. Popo said, heading toward a building. Goku followed suit, and Rose followed him. When they got to a door, they stopped.
"Goku, do you think that she can last the whole year?" Popo asked.
"Yes. She has a lot of potential. She's only been training for about five months and she has just about surpassed Piccolo."
"Really? That's amazing." Mr. Popo said.
"Are we ready, grandpa? I'm ready to train with you." Rose said.
"Yes, Rose. We're ready." Goku said to her. "I can't wait to unlock your potential."
"Oh." Rose said, a little confused.
"I'll explain when we get inside." Goku said, opening the door. "Ladies first." He said, stepping back so Rose could go in.
When she stepped in, she noticed that she felt heavier. She looked around and saw that just beyond the living quarters, there was nothing but white. She brought her eyebrows together in confusion. She turned to her grandfather and said,
"I don't get it. There's the living quarters, and then nothing but white. Is the white where we train?"
"Yep. Never go out too far. If you lose sight of this room, scream and I'll look for you, ok?" Goku explained.
"Ok. Grandpa, why do I feel heavier?" Rose asked.
"This place has one hundred times the gravity of Earth. This way, our muscles can strengthen up while we're here. Let's get started." Goku said.
Rose was in a garden, looking at all beautiful flowers. She looked up and saw a clear blue sky and bright sun. She looked around her and saw nothin but the garden in all directions as far as she could see. It wasn't a garden, it was a meadow.
She decided to see how far the meadow went. She kept walking and walking, still not finding the end of the meadow. Rose was getting tired, so she stopped and sat down.
She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing that she knew was that she was sitting up, choking on smoke. She looked behind her, and saw that the meadow was on fire. She stood up and tried to run, but her legs wouldn't move. She tried to fly up, out of danger, but she couldn't do that, either. All she could do was watch the fire come closer and closer. As it did so, Rose could feel the heat. It was getting hotter and hotter.
The fire engulfed her and she screamed. She woke up to Goku shaking her. She screamed once more and looked at him.
Goku was surprised that she didn't start to cry. She was screaming loud enough to wake King Ki on Snake Way. Rose looked at him and relaxed.
"Are you ok?" Goku asked her.
"Yes. How long have I been asleep?"
"A couple of days. You should lay off your training for a couple more days."
"Why?"
"You trained so much that you blacked out. You're going to rest up and then you can start training again, ok?"
"Ok."
Chapter 8
"Rose, we're leaving in a couple of minutes. Are you ready?" Goku asked.
"Yes, grandpa. Have I improved?"
"Yes, you have. You also done something that I didn't think you could do."
"What was that?"
"You turned super right before you passed out. I guess that your body uses that as a last resort. That's a good thing, though."
"How's that?"
"That means that you have very great potential and I got to see it."
Rose smiled and thought about how happy her grandfather was. She also wondered if her mother would be proud of her.
"Ok, Rose. It's time to go. I want you to know that you're going to feel lighter for a little while after we get out."
"Ok." Rose said as the door opened. They walked out to find a crowd. Piccolo, Krillin, Claudia, Pan, Gohan, Goten, Videl, Bulma, and two people she didn't even recognize.
As Rose walked out, they all turned around. They all seemed amazed about something. "What?" Rose asked.
"That, that power! I've never felt a power like that one someone so young!" The man with black hair said. The other guy had purple hair.
"Dad's right." the purple-haired man agreed.
"Yeah. She's progressed a lot." Goku said. "I'm happy with our training. Rose had fun, too. Didn't you, Rose?"
"I feel a lot stronger." Rose said. She walked up to the man with black and said, "Hi. My name is Rose. What's your's?" She thought he looked scary, but she had to learn how to swallow her fear.
"Child, why do you ask a question like that?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"Because I want to know your name, that's why." Rose said boldly.
"You have a lot of courage. Most kids are scared even before I enter the room. But, since you seem to have such courage, I'l tell you my name. It's Vegeta." He said.
"Thank you." Rose said and looked at the man with purple hair and said, "You already know my name, what's your's?"
"Trunks."
"Nice to meet you, Trunks. And you, too, Vegeta." Rose said.
"Same here." Trunks said with a smile. Vegeta just grunted.
After they had gotten home, Claudia and Chi-chi made Rose's favorite lunch. Goku, Rose, Claudia, and Chi-chi were sitting at the table eating when Rose said,
"Guess what I can do, grandma?"
"What's that?" Chi-chi asked.
"Grandpa said that I can go super. But only as a 'last resort'."
"What?" Chi-chi asked, frozen in place.
"Is, is that a bad thing?" Rose said, starting to worry that something was wrong.
"No, it's not a bad thing, Rose." Goku said quickly. "Grandma's just, surprised, that's all."
"Oh." Rose said, relaxing.
"But, I thought that you said that Rose said she couldn't do that?" Claudia asked, brining her eyebrows together.
"I did. While we were in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, she was training like there was no tomorrow. She finally exhausted herself. For about ten minutes, she turned super and just kept going. I didn't say anything to her because I wanted to see what she was going to do.
"Before long, she was on the ground. She had passed out from exhaustion. She slept for a couple of days, then woke up froma nightmare. I had her rest for a couple more days after that. She didn't do it again, so I thought it was a last resort mechanism that her body has.
"That's a good thing, too. She can't try to abuse it this way." Goku explained as they finished eating.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Chi-chi cried after he was done. "Rose, you start your lessons again tomorrow."
"Ok. Am I still making good grades?"
"Yes. In fact, you've raised them to low A's. I'm proud of you."
"Really? I've been trying harder." Rose said.
"Well, keep up the good work, ok?"
"Ok."
Chapter 9
John was still watching Rose from the woods a year later. She's really grown, he thought one day as he was watching her. She must only be ten, but she looks eleven.
She was playing in the sand with some toy cars and little oblong rocks that she had put paint on. She had made a little town with the sand. John guessed that the painted rocks were the people. She has a good imagination, he thought. I wonder if she ever thinks of about me?
Well, that don't matter. She'll have all the time in the world soon enough, John thought to himself and chuckled. Rose looked toward him and he crept into the woods, out of sight.
Rose was playing with her sand town when she thought she heard someone laugh. She looks toward the woods, and saw the bushes rustle. She squinted so she could focus a little farther into the woods, hoping to see a deer or something. Rose didn't didn't see anything, so she went back to playing.
Rose was sitting in her room a coupel of days later, thinking about all that had happened in the past year and a half or so, and wondered if her step-father ever thought about her. Does he miss me? Or does he hate me for telling mom that he hit me?
If I could see him once more, I'd ask him, rose thought. Then she had a thought that was even scarier than him hating her. What if he hates mom? What if he's been trying to find us so he could hurt her?
I'll protect her. He'll have to hurt me before he can hurt my mom. Rose kind of did hope that he would find them. She wanted to show him how she felt about him.
Rose's mom walked in and sat on the bed.
"Hey, Rose. How would you like to go to town with me today?" Claudia said as she sat.
"Sure. What are we going to town for?"
"I'm going to get some groceries. I thought maybe you could go with me and we can eat lunch together."
"Ok. Let me get ready." Rose said excitedly.
As they were heading to town, Rose asked,
"Mom, do you ever think about John?" This surprised Claudia. She had just been thinking earlier that day if Rose ever thought about him.
"Every once in a while. Why?"
"I was wondering if you ever did right before you came into my room. Did you ever love him?"
"At first I did. When we first met, he was sweet, kind and funny. But after you were born, he started to put me on medication."
"When did you stop loving him?"
"I think it was when you were two. We had been gone most of the day, but got back before John got off work. There was a message on the answering machine.
"I checked it and it was a woman asking when she could see him again. She gave a number, so I called it. When the woman answered, I asked if she had called and she said yes. Then she asked if I was her sister. I told her no, that I was his wife, and she hung up.
"That's when I realized he didn't love me anymore. I can't love someone that doesn't love me." Claudia explained.
"Oh, mom." Rose said. That was all she could say.
After they had gotten home, Claudia was putting away groceries. She was thinking about what she had told Rose. Was it too much, she thought. Well, she had asked, and I had kept telling myself that I was going to tell her the truth. She deserves to know it, with all that she's went through. I just hope I don't the right thing.
"Claudia." She heard her grand-mother say, making her jump.
"Yes?" Claudia said, her heart still pounding.
"Oh. I didn't mean to scare you. Would you like some help?"
"Sure."
Chapter 10
John was sitting at home trying to watch the news. He couldn't concentrate. He couldn't stay focused because he was thinking of how he was going to get Rose without her causing a scene. When I get her, he thought to himself, what should I do? I know, I'll get a cell phone and leave the number on a piece of paper taped to the back door. Perfect, She'll never know it was me until she calls the number, When Claudia comes to get Rose, she'll never know what hit her.
A few weeks later, Rose was looking out the window, watching the rain. She watched for a couple more minutes, then went to find grandpa Goku. When she found him, he was in the kitchen, eating a snack.
"Grandpa." Rose said. He jumped and turned around, looking at her. He had a noodle hanging off of his chin. "Oops. Didn't mean to scare you. I'm bored." Rose said as he picked the noodle off his chin and ate it.
"Well, sit down here and we'll find something to do after I get done." Goku said. Rose sat and waited for him to finish. When he did, he got up and put his bowl in the sink and then went and sat back down.
"How about you tell me about your dad?"
"Which one? My real daddy or John?"
"How about both? Do you remember your real dad?"
"No. Mom said he died the same day she found out she was pregnant with me. She believes that some of his spirit was sent to me." Rose explained. "But she did tell me that he loved her a lot. She said that she loved him, too."
"I bet she did. What about John?"
"He didn't love her. He was seeing another woman when I was two. When mom found out, she said that's when she stopped loving him. She couldn't love someone that didn't love her. Besides, he hit me. I'm glad I never have to see him again." Rose said, as serious as she was when she was training.
"You don't like him, do you?" Goku asked.
"No, I don't like him," Rose said, her eyes glowing with hate, "I hate him. I already broke his knee." Rose said, calm as a deer in a field, unnoticed. Goku's eyes widened, then he brought his eyebrows together.
"Rose, never hold a grudge. It make your life a lot harder. You need to learn to forgive and forget."
"But-"
"No. It doesn't matter. Trust me. If you knew what me, Gohan, and Goten went through in out lives, you'd understand." He interrupted. He had never talked to her like that before, so she decided to take his advice.
"Ok, Grandpa. I'll try."
"Good girl."
Tonight's the night, John thought to himself as he wrote a note. He had decided to wait until midnight and take while everyone one was asleep.
I'll just leave the note on her pillow. This was going to be great, he thought as he finished the note. He folded it up and put it in his pocket. He grabbed his jacket and went out the door.
Rose awoke to something touching her face. She looked up as John covered her mouth, and, putting a gloved finger to his lips, telling her to be quite.
"Get up." John whispered to her. As soon as she stood up, everything went black.
When Rose woke up, she was sore from where John had hit her. She tried to sit up, but found out that her hands and feet were tied. It was completly dark, so, she couldn't see. When she got completly awake, she ealized she was moving.
She couldn't talk becuase of a gag in her mouth. She struggled, and then eventually got to where she could sit up. she was in the back of John's car. She tried to talk, but it was all muffled because of the gag.John must have heard her, bacause he looked into his rearview mirror and just laughed. This scared her so much, she didn;t know what to do.
"You know what? Your mom is never going to know what hit her. As soon as she calls me, she's going to try to come get you. When she does, that's the last mistake she's ever going to make. Then it's your turn." He said as he began to laugh. All Rose could do was gasp, then pass out.
The next morning, Claudia noticed that Rose wasn't at breakfast. that was unusual, because Rose seemed to have an appetite that could rival Goku's.
"I'm going to go wake up Rose. I hope she's not sick." Claudia said, getting up. She went to her daughter's room, but she wasn't there. Maybe she's in the bathroom, Claudia thought. A piece of folded paper lay on the pillow. She picked it up and opened it.
Claudia,
I've taken Rose. I've been watching her for years. She's really grown, but that's beside the point. If Rose means that much to you, you better call me at 1-683-555-6268. Don't think this is a joke. I can take her life at any time.
There was a scream and everyone jumped out of their seats. They rushed to Rose's room to see Claudia laying on the floor. Goku seen the paper, picked it up, and read it. After he read, Goku looked into the distance, crumpling the note.
"What happened?" Chi-chi asked, trying to wake Claudia up.
"She's been kidnapped. Wake Claudia up and make sure that she's ok."
"Rose!" Claudia screamed as she came to. She sat up and looked around. Was it all a dream, she thought as she saw her grandmother.
"Hi. You had quite a fall."
"Where's Rose?" Claudia asked.
"Honey, some kidnapped her. They left a cell phone number. Are you up to calling them? Or do you want to rest up for a while?"
"No. I'll call now." Claudia said as she got up.
Chapter 11
Claudia's hand shook as she dialed the number. The morning was half gone, and Claudia had no clue how long Rose had been gone. The sun was shining, but in Claudia's heart, it was the gloomiest, stormiest day of her life. She brought the phone to her ear and listened to it ring. It rang five times before someone answered.
"Hello?" a familiar voice rasped.
"John! Where's Rose? Is she safe?" Claudia shot out before he could say anything else.
"She's fine, under the circumstances, anyway."
"Let me talk to her."
"She's a little tied up at the moment." John said, laughing at his own joke.
"I swear, if you hurt her-"
"Why would I hurt my child?"
"You're not my daddy!" Claudia heard Rose scream in the background.
"ROSE!" Claudia cried. "Why, John, why? Why put Rose through this?"
"Why? Because it was all that little brat's fault that you left. No one leaves me, Claudia. NO ONE! If you want your precious daughter back, you better come get her. We're at the summer cabin. You better come alone, or Rose will pay for this. That's not a threat. That's a promise." John said and hung up.
He turned to look at Rose, who was tied to a kitchen chair in the middle of the living room. She was crying, but John could tell she didn't want to.
"What's wrong, baby girl?" John said, kneeling on the floor beside her. He laid his hand on her arm.
"Don't touch me. You know what's wrong. If you hurt me, my mom will surely kill you." Rose said through clenched teeth.
"Don't be so hateful. You act like I'm going to hurt you." John said softly.
"Like you haven't before?" Rose asked.
"You always brought that upon yourself."
"And how? By going to the park? I WAS 8 YEARS OLD, JOHN!" Rose screamed.
He stood up at the sound of his name. "What did you call me? I'm your father. You don't call your father by his first name!" John shouted as he slapped her.
Rose wasn't expecting it, and it hurt. Her head had turned with the blow, and she stayed that way for a few seconds to get over the pain.
When the pain had subsided, she turned to look at him.
"You are NOT MY FATHER! My father died the same day that mom found out she was going to have me!" Rose said.
"See how much he cared? He went and had himslf killed."
"He couldn't help it that he died. It was a work-related accident. He loved my mother. Now, you, that's a whole different ballfield. You had a girlfriend, you kept her on medication that she didn't even need, and you also beat me. What kind of husband and father are you?" Rose asked.
John couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could she have known that he had a mistress? She was only two years old.
"Wondering how I know all this?" Rose said, reading his thoughts. "Mom knew, she just never said anything. FYI: that's when she stopped loving you."
"Claudia, where are you going?" Chi-chi said as he granddaughter grabbed her coat.
"To go get my daughter."
"Let your grandfather go with you."
"He said to go alone or he'd kill her. I'm not taking any chances. I'll be back." Claudia said, shutting the door behind her.
"Leave me alone!" Rose screamed as John hit her again. He enjoyed hearing her scream at him, just for the fact that she couldn't do anything about it.
I guess I'll kill Rose, too, John thought, laughing. I'll let Rose watch as I kill Claudia, then I'l kill her. No one will be the wiser. John snapped back to thte present by Rose lightly hitting him with her fingertips. He kneeled beside her chair and said,
"Honey, your mom is going to be coming for you soon."
"Good. The faster I get away from you, the better." She spat in his face. "I hope I never see you again after this. Mom will make sure to give you what's coming to you. I hope she-" Rose stopped as John once again knocked her out.
Claudia couldn't believe she was going alone. If Rose is hurt, I swear, I'll kill him myself, she thought. I'll do anything to keep Rsoe safe. But, what if he decided to kill her? Then I don't know what I would do. She's all I have that keeps my spirits up.
Claudia tried to hope for the best. Well, Rose can hurt him, she's already proved that to me. I mean, she did break his knee. I don't know to many ten year olds that can do that. Claudia was getting more and more nervous the closer she got to the summer cabin. The cabin was a good 20 miles out of town, on the other side. It would take her at least 30 mintues to get there, since it wasn't raining. "Please let Rose be ok." Claudia prayed.
When Rose came to, she was hungry and thirsty. "John." Rose croaked out of her dry throat. She looked around and saw that she was no longer in the living room.
It took a few seconds, but she finally realized that she was in the room she used when they came out for the summer. Rose swallowed and then screamed "John!" He came running and kneeled by the chair.
"What is it, sweetie?" he asked.
"I'm thristy. And what am I doing in here? I can't see that well. I want to back into the living room.
"Ok. I'll go get you some water and then we'll move you back into the living room."
"Ok." Rose said. It was all she could do. She wanted to hit him, but she couldn't. Her arms were still tied to the chair. He left for a few moments and then came back with a glass of water and a straw. It was warm. She drank almost the whole cup because she had anything to drink all day. She was afraid to ask for anything to eat. Last time she had done that, he had hit her. she was to sore for him to hit her again.
John lifted up her chair as if it weighed nothing and then moved her back to the living room.
"Better?"
"Yes."
"Good. Your mother should be here soom. If you promise to behave, I might let her see you."
"What? Might?" Rose asked, puzzled.
"Yes. She'll never know what had hit her," he said more to himself than to her.
"No!" Rose cried, starting to struggle against the ropes the held her to the chair. "You can't kill her! She didn't do anything to you!"
"Yes, she did!" John screamed back. "She left me! I took care of her for eight years, and then she leaves me!"
"Only because you hit me!"
"You deserved it!"
"I deserved to be hit just about as much as you deserve my mother's love! Which you don't!" Rose screamed. That stopped him. He just looked at her for a moment. He took a minute to gather himself and then he raised his hand to hit her again. If it wasnt for a knock on the door, he would have done it.
"You better be glad." John sneered as he turned and went to the door. He opened it and it was Claudia. Since he had only cracked the door open, she never seen him grab the butcher knife off the counter by the door.
"Hello, Claudia. You're looking beautiful, as usual. " John said, putting on a smile.
"I'm not here for complements, John. Where's Rose?" Claudia said, not showing any emotion at all.
"In the living room." As soon as she heard that, she rushed to the place he had said. She stopped when she got to the door.
Claudia looked into the room and saw Rose tied to a chair. Her left eye was swollen shut and purple. Her cheek on the same side was almost bigger than her eye, and a shade darker.
"Rose!" Claudia said, raising her hand to her mouth.
"Mom." Rose said. It sounded muffled because of her cheek being swollen. Rose saw something gleam behind her mother and her eyes grew wide. Clauida turned around just as John brought the knife down, causing it to stab into her heart.
Rose watched as her mother fell to the floor, motionless. That was all it took. Rose screamed and struggled against the ropes that held her as hard as she could. John ran to the chair and started to hit her. She was so overcome with grief and anger that she didn't even feel the pain.
It didn't feel like anytime at all, but Rose finally got lose from the ropes and pushed John out of her way, getting out of the chair. She rushed to her mother, who was already gone. Rose started to cry, holding her head in her hands. After a few minutes, she turned to look at Johnm who had started to laugh.
"You killed her!" Rose screamed. "Now I'm going to kill you!" Rose jumped up and ran at him. He couldn't do much before she got there. She knocked him down and sat on his chest.
"What are you doing?" John asked, becoming alramed.
"Giving you a taste of your own medicine." Rose said as she started to hit him in the face. He tried to stop her, but couldn't. She kept hitting him, not even realizing she was doing it. "How could you!" Rose screamed as she hit him again and again. John finally got mad the threw her off him, making her hit the wall, stunning her.
He stood up, his nose and lip bleeding. He walked over to her and looked down at her small body lying on the floor. He just stood there looking at her for a few moments, and then kicked her. Rose spit up blood, her eyes flying open from the pain.
Rose couldn't believe this was happening. Just as the wave of pain went away from the kick, she was kicked again. He waited another moment and then kicked her again. John was laughing by this time. Laughing like a little boy kicking a ball down a sidewalk. That was what she had become to him: a kickball. I'm going to die, Rose thought. She looked up at him and then saw red.
As he kicked again, she grabbed his foot and pulled. It caught him off guard and he fell. As she done so, her left side felt like it was on fire, all the ribs broken. As John fell to the floor, Rose was trying to crawl away. He grabbed her ankle and she screamed. He twisted and broke it. That was all it took to cause Rose to snap.
Chapter 12
John felt her ankle snap and felt her change somehow. All of a sudden, her hair changed from black to blond right in front of his eyes.
Rose turned and looked at him. She had a look that could kill. As she turned, Rose looked at him and screamed,
"THAT'S IT! You killed my mother, you almost killed me, and now I'm going to kill you!" John's eyes got as big as saucers and he screamed as he tried to crawl away. "An eye for an eye, John." Rose said as she grabbed his right ankle and twisted until she felt and heard the bone snap. He screamed in pain. Rose grabbed his left arm and dislocated it.
"That's for all the times you've hit me!" She screamed. By this time, John was hoping to wake up from the nightmare. He never thought she would be capable of this. He hadn't ever felt pain like this before. Rose had crawled around to his left side and took his chin and moved his head to the right.
He knew exactly what Rose was going to do, and his last thought was, at least there won't be anymore pain.
"That's for killing my mother." Rose said, her hair turning black again. She drug herself back to her mother's dead body. she lay across it, crying. She couldn't believe her mother was gone.
Rose laid there and cried for no telling how long. She looked over at John's body and saw his cell phone. Rose crawled over to him and reached for the phone. As she did, John turned his head and looked at her.
"Thought you snapped my neck, didn't you? Well, not quite." He said as he grabbed her with his good arm. He snapped her wrist and she screamed. How can he still be alive, Rose thought to herself through the pain.
She looked at him and saw that he was trying to crawl away from her. He's still afraid of me, she thought. That gave her an idea, which made her laugh.
John stopped and looked back at her. Was she insane? Why was she laughing? He continued to look at her and then she suddenly stopped. He brought his eyebrows together at how fast she had stopped laughing.
Before he could say or do anything, she was beside him, "What are you?" he asked her.
"You wouldn't even understand."
"Try me." John said, making time.
"Part of me isn't even human."
"What?" John asked, looking confused. He knew there was something wrong about Claudia, but Rose had to be out of her mind.
"Want to find out?" Rose asked, a gleam in her eye.
"Heh. Sure, why not?" John said, hoping she was faking it. Rose put her hand on his shoulder, the palm down. "What's this?"
"Just wait." Rose said, trying to gather energy. It only took a few seconds, but it seemed to take forever. All of a sudden, there was an immense amount of pain in his shoulder. He looked over and saw that he didn't even have a shoulder anymore. All that was there was a hole in the floor.
"Believe me now?" Rose asked with a small laugh.
"No." John said to see what she would do. With that, Rose put her hand just above John's face, her palm facing him. She gathered a little more energy and then blasted him again. All that was there was a hole in the floor.
"Bet you do now." Rose said. She laid her head down on the floor, hoping to gather enough strength to move soon. She laid there in pain and thought about what had happened. After about twenty minutes, Rose moved so that she could grab the late John's cell phone. Now to do what I was planning on doing before, Rose thought as she opened it.
It took her a little while, but she finally figured out how to use the phone. She dialed her great-grandfather's number and listened to it ring. After about five rings, Chi-chi answered it.
"Hello? Son residence."
"Grandma Chi-chi." Rose whispered into the phone, crying.
"Rose? Rose, honey, where are you?" She asked.
"In my summer house. He killed mom."
"What!" Chi-chi cried. Rose heard a thump and then heard the phone hit the floor. After about ten seconds, Rose heard the phone being picked up.
"Hello?" Goku asked. "Who is this?"
"Grandpa Goku. John killed mom." Rose said, starting to cry harder.
"Rose, where are you?" Goku asked?
"I'm in my summer house. Please, Grandpa, help me." Goku heard her plead faintly.
"How do I get there, Rose?"
"Go out of the other side of town, out toward uncle Goten's. Keep going out for about twenty miles. Please help me, grandpa. It hurts." Rose explained to him. Goku remembered passing that house a lot in his travels.
"I'll be there as soon as I can. Hang on." Goku said.
"I'll try." Rose said as the cell phone died. Goku picked up Chi-chi and carried her to bed after he had hung up the phone. The phone Rose was on had went dead. He made sure she was comfortable, and then went out the door.
By the time her grandfather had reached the house, she thought she was going to die. All she could think about was her mother. She'll never get to see me again, Rose thought as the front door opened.
Goku had thought that he was too late. He looked at Claudia, and saw that she was indeed dead. He looked over at what was left of John, and then looked at Rose. As he was checking Claudia's body to make sure that she was dead, he thought that he had heard Roe say grandpa. At first he thought he was hearing things. He watched Rose for a few moments, and then saw that she was breathing.
"Rose, everything is going to be ok." Goku said as he walked over to her. He picked her up as gently as he could and walked out the door. concerned for her saftey first.
Epilogue
Rose was laying in a hospital bed with Goku, Chi-chi, Pan, Gohan, and Videl standing around her about two weeks later. "I miss mom." Rose said, tears flowing down her cheeks. Rose wasn't able to attend her mother's funeral due to her injuries.
"I know, sweetheart. We all do." Chi-chi said to her, smoothing her jet-black hair.
"I don't miss John one bit. I just can't believe that I done that, though." Rose said, bowing her head.
"Rose, I know how you feel. You just done what your body told you to do before you could think about what you were going to do." Gohan told her. "I've done it before, too."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"Visiting hours are over." A nurse walking by stopped and said.
"Ok." Chi-chi answered. She picked up a paper bag from the floor and set it on the bed. "Since none of us can stay tonight, I brought you something to keep you company."
"Really?" Rose asked, getting excited because she was going to get a present.
"Yep. Here you go." Chi-chi said, taking whatever it was from the bag. It was the stuffed rabbit that Rose had brought with her and her mom had left John.
"Thank you, grandma, grandpa, everyone." Rose said. "Grandpa Goku, if it wasn't for you, I probably wouldn't be here right now." Rose said.
"Don't say that." Goku replied.
"Well, I guess you ought to go." Rose said. "I don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me."
"Ok. Bye, Rose. Stay strong and you'll be fine." Pan said as she left the room.
"Ok."
A few weeks later, everyone was at a picnic, Rose in a wheelchair because of her broken bones. Everyone was having a great time eating and talking.
"Mom would have had so much fun." Rose said. "She died for no reason."
"That's not true. She died for you, her only daughter." Her grandmother Videl said.
"It just doesn't feel like it. I just keep thinking that there was something that I could have done for her."
"Rose, she may be gone, but we'll always have you and you'll always have memories. Never forget that." Her uncle Goten told her.
"I guess so." Rose said. "I'll never forget her, that's for sure." Rose thought she had seen someone by the car. It looked like that had walked away from the car, but she never got a good look at them.
If that was you, mom, Rose thought, I love you.