Chap5

Disclaimer: I can't get sued can I?............The characters of Dragonball do not belong to me. If they did, I would be filthy rich, and would probably be too busy driving around in a Ferrari to care about Fanfiction.net at all. As for all of my characters........feel free to use them ! I looooove publicity! ( That includes Riaquni, Khaeri, Dania , Attikai............and for Kami's sake, I won't list them all........) Enjoy!^_^

..........One Of The Enemy ...........
A Story by Murasaki Iiro
Chapter Five: Forgiveness



Two pairs of wide open eyes stared at Riaquni in complete and utter disbelief. The first set, her mother's, were black-violet , brimmed with tears. The second set, belonging to her grandmother, were icy cobalt blue, flecked with grey, their gaze sharp and unfeeling.

This lack of emotion was somewhat terrifying to her. One was taught quite strictly that they were to avoid excessive shows of anger, fear ,or remorse. But would a few tears be too much to ask for a beloved daughter-in law? Or had death become such an ubiquitous occurrence, that it no longer caused her grandmother any pain?One could always blame the Seiyans, the Empress ,or even fate itself............... but blame could never return her family , no matter how long Riaquni let it eat away at her. Jinna, with her death, had made that much clear.

Now it was up to them to make a decision, as she herself had done. Trade your honor for a life renewed, or give your life for eternal honor. For a family as proud as her own, it was an obvious choice. .....honor over life, always and forever. But discarding the last wishes of a such a noble woman would be a crime against heaven............ surely her grandmother valued tradition and respect more than she did her own personal grudges........or did she?

Riaquni began to contemplate her cousin's words. Would her grandmother intentionally lead them to their deaths to satisfy her own hunger for revenge? Proud as the queen always had been, Riaquni still found it hard to swallow. Yet, standing there, on a strange, icy planet, on the far edges of an obsolete galaxy, she began to have her doubts.

It would be so simple, so easy, for her to end it all............in the middle of a bloody battle that she would lose purposefully. She would lose so that only I was left to fight , and fall, the same way my father did.....and we would all be together again.......... for eternity..............just the way she would want it......

 Riaquni was unafraid of death; it would always seek you out sooner or later. But she had no desire to tempt it.........she had done nothing, in eighteen years, that was worth recognition, and she wanted a chance, a chance to partake in something great.

When she had opened her eyes that fateful morning, she wanted nothing more than to simply disintegrate, vanish and never see another sunrise.............for each sunrise brought another death, another reason to mourn. Now she wanted to see the next sunrise, and a million after that............Riaquni had realized that the dawn did not bring solely death........It supplied a constant and everlasting symbol of survival and perseverance.

The sun always lifted its head over the horizon, no matter how mortal madmen tried to smother its light. As the sun lived, so would she...............and no one was going to extinguish her.............not yet.....

She watched expectantly as her grandmother's expression turned from one of shock to one of intense fury.

And what would your father say to this, Riaquni.......... Do you think he would grovel before a Seiyan! You are a princess ............ Your ancestors would be ashamed! You must always be ready to give your life in the name of justice! My son died so that he could be glorious in the eyes of his people.......

No grandmother, he died because he made an error in judgment..........he picked the wrong adversary.............he was too blinded by hatred to see the real traitors........the ones that killed my brother..........

 Would you rather turn back and be tortured by those bastards who wear your crown......After we came all this way............I know your mother has more pride than that................She's not weak like you are......... One would never guess that you were my granddaughter...........Your father must be rolling in his grave...........Not that Khaeri isn't positively shameful himself.............I always knew he was a good for nothing..... takes after his mother, no doubt........... I don't know why I ever allowed her to poison our bloodlines.

There were few times in her eighteen years that Riaquni had seen her mother angry. She was a n outgoing, mild-mannered person, and kept her rage out of public view. She brushed off most insults as if they were dust............ but this time, her grandmother had gone too far. Not only had she insulted her daughter, but her dearest friend and favorite nephew as well.

I beg to differ ,Attikai She addressed her mother-in law by her first name, ignoring the laws of etiquette that she had so dutifully obeyed since the day of her marriage.

You have no right to insult my family, nor your son's. There is no shame in living............. the only people that embrace death are too scared to face life............. And you are scared . You are a coward , Attikai............ You can't take the truth............ Your whole world blew to pieces and you couldn't do anything about it........ So you tried to satisfy your own thirst for blood..........And what's worse is that I followed you, like a blind dog. My daughter has more courage than you'll ever have........ She won't let herself fall victim to your treachery...............

It was incredible. Riaquni gazed at her mother in admiration as she forced her grandmother to accept the truth.

It takes an even greater woman to admit her mistakes....... You can't admit that you were wrong..........You won't be undermined by your son's wife. Jinna would have done anything to be accepted by you............ She respected you more than your own sons did............and you hated her. You hated her until the very end. And you hate me. Go ahead, throw your life away................because if you ever speak another word against Jinna again, I will kill you myself!............

Riaquni's grandmother stepped back, her anger replaced by awe and fear. She had never heard Dania speak with such conviction............such passion............and such truthfulness. For the first time, she realized that she was afraid. ............afraid to live.........

There is no shame in living............. the only people that embrace death are too scared to face life............. And you are scared . You are a coward ,Attikai............ You can't take the truth...........

 The words echoed, piercing her soul with a flood of remorse. Had Jinna really loved her? ..........She had never cared much for the girl..............and now she was dead............. All those times she had scorned her..........and never apologized, never asked forgiveness.........It was too late now, or was it?.........

 You can stay here and freeze for all I care.......... Dania said coldly. I will no longer have anything to do with you............ May the ruler of Hell have mercy on you, Attikai.............

Dania turned on her heels and continued up the snow -covered hill, Riaquni in tow, head held high. She had finally defeated her mother-in-law .............She had found the strength to simply walk away, leaving Attikai behind. That, she thought, was a greater victory than any physical battle could offer.

Riaquni couldn't help but look back, just for a moment , at the woman she had once thought was the most beautiful in the universe. She still had the same glittering slate-blue eyes, the same burgundy-violet hair that fell in long, smooth panels down her back. She still had the same tall, willowy frame and flawless ,alabaster skin. Among the snow-laced gusts of wind and mountains of white, she appeared to be no less unearthly than she had always been. She was the shining goddess that had floated far above them all............gorgeous, loved, and envied........ But there was something missing.......... without it ,she was only a shadow of the woman she had once been.

Now she was alone, stranded............The only family she had left had turned on her............ Her still -radiant beauty could never hide the sorrow that tortured her with every step she took..........Attikai was lost............ She dealt with the circumstances in the only way she knew how.......... with a battle.......

Riaquni turned to face her grandmother, retracing her own footprints in the snow. She extended a hand to the dejected woman who had wronged her so. Everyone deserved a second chance.

Attikai stared at her for a long moment. Without a word, she placed her hand in Riaquni's.

She's so much like her father...........I can almost see Frieza staring straight back at me through her eyes.........

Together, they walked back across the frozen landscape, to Dania's perch atop the snowy peak. Honor was a great virtue, but forgiveness was the most prized of all............
Above the blazing lights of Shimura Street and the traffic below, a lonely figure sat on the roof of a restaurant, scrutinizing the midnight skyline. Kiniro was relieved to abandon his duties in the sweltering heat of the kitchen. The frigid winter air stung his cheeks and refreshed his spirits as his thoughts drifted into the night sky.

The moon was covered in a thick veil of smog, and the stars were barely visible, blotted out by the fluorescent lights of the city. The towers from the Sugihana Airport ,a short distance across the bay, glowed a fierce neon red as airplanes soared into the night. Cars zoomed down the avenue in an attempt to keep up with the pace of the fast-moving city, a flash of red on the right, a flash of white on the left. So much light.......... but none of it was real.

He searched above the tall skyscrapers for a glimpse of natural beauty, but it was nowhere to be found.........

Not in this city........

Perhaps the heavens had heard his call, for as he searched the sky, the world below held still for a moment. As he was about to look away, a flash of white illuminated the mottled sky. A shooting star........

Kiniro stared in wonder as it faded into the horizon. He thought himself too old to believe in silly superstitions, but this time he could not help himself. He thought long and hard...........What did he want, more than anything else?

I wish............ I wish I knew where I came from......Who my parents were.........Who I really am........

 He laughed aloud, shaking his head. Destiny had better things to think about than aspiring chefs with rhetorical questions. Kiniro shut the trapdoor leading to the roof and ducked back into the kitchen. There was too much to do in too little time........... no room for pointless dreams.

Author's note: This chapter goes out to my dear friend ,Kusatori ........may you someday write a story yourself that is a thousand times better than mine. Also, a round of applause for my Mother...........for not breaking into my files and reading this...........

Two huge thumbs down to Xing........... I had to download the new version of Netscape for the site to work! (well, there went my whole Saturday!) And three thumbs down( if at all possible) to the guy who installed our cable modem........ It put me back about five days in finishing this chapter.

Once again, I will ever-so sweetly beg anyone who has read this to write a review. My hits to review ratio Is one to a high, three digit number. Are you all just so in awe of me, that words cannot express your praise.............Or am I just confusing you all with my plot line.? If so, let me know. I'll be happy to e- mail you a personalized guide to reading One Of The Enemy. (No really, I'm serious) I DONT TYPE TWO THOUSAND WORD CHAPTERS ONLY TO BE IGNORED!

Oh, and thank you Matches, for writing something nice about my story in the posts^_^.........That brought me a whole ton of hits. I have yet to finish reading all of your stuff..........but, so far, I'm loving it!
Sayonara For Now,
Murasaki