Full Moon Patrol training was about as Peparia suspected; the training was mostly joint locks and pressure points to help take down Great Apes without harming the child. She also learned ki draining techniques to help weaken a rampaging Great Ape so what happened with Peparia six months earlier didn't happen again.
But there was one unexpected part of the training; the Power Ball. This technique allowed a Saiyan to create a ball of Blutz Waves at the expense of a bit of stamina. This technique was meant to train other Full Moon Patrollers in their own Great Ape forms. And while that training was useless to a Super Saiyan like Peparia, it was useful to others. And maybe, if she was allowed to train him, between the House Dakkon training methods, her telepathy and this Power Ball technique, it could help Rutin master his own Great Ape form once his tail had grown back to be far better than he ever though he could be.
Yes, that could definitely work. With all her training with all her knowledge, she had everything she needed to give that boy what he needed to become a productive member of society. Or maybe, something more, something greater than his commoner birth could ever grant him.
Peparia shook her head as she flew back to her family estate. Was this really just an attempt to get this boy trained so he wouldn't rampage again, or was she trying to find a substitute Celes? She didn't know, and she hated herself for not knowing.
Upon reaching her house, she found that Lottus was sitting on the bench outside the house, in the garden that Peparia had played in as a girl. That garden was a place of happier times, of playing with her cousins, of dreams of the future…and of romance between Lottus and Peparia.
"Hey," Lottus said, standing up from the bench as Peparia descended.
"Hey," Peparia said, smiling slightly. It was great to see Lottus again, even though things were different now.
"How are you feeling?" Lottus said, sadly. She looked like she had been crying for a while.
"What's wrong?" Peparia aside as she landed.
"Nothing," Lottus said. She sighed. "Everything."
Peparia put her hands on Lottus' shoulders. "You can tell me, Lottus. We've been through a lot together."
"Look, if…you think we need to take a break, we can," Lottus said, tears leaking down her face. "You've been through a lot lately, and I think you need to get to know yourself again."
Peparia sighed. She knew this was coming, and she both dreaded it, and was, in a sense, relieved that she didn't have to be the one to brooch the subject.
"I think that would be best," Peparia said. "I mean, I'm not the same Peparia that I was 6 months ago."
"I know," Lottus said, drying her tears. "You're you, but it seems like part of you is far away."
"Yeah," Peparia said. She was sad, sure, but…not. She didn't completely understand what she was feeling right now. "I mean, it's only been 6 months since Celes died. And if I'm honest with myself, it still doesn't seem real to me. Like I could go into her room and see her playing with her toys right now and everything would be fine, but it's not."
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Lottus said, finally smiling slightly. "I can't imagine what you're going through. I mean, my own son is still growing in the growth pod, so he doesn't seem real yet. I can't imagine losing him."
"Have you decided on a name yet?" Peparia said, changing the subject.
"Been thinking Broco. Or Kakalo," Lottus said. "Both good, strong names."
"They are," Peparia said. She had planned to name her child Broco if Celes had been male. It was a powerful name for a powerful little boy.
"Well, if you every need anything, you ask me, okay?" Peparia said, smiling.
"Thank you," Lottus said. "Now, I need to get home. Got a lot to do as head of the Ayote household."
"Take care," Peparia said. "And good luck. You'll need it."