Wisdom… how many craved it, how many had died for it, how many had devoted
their lives to finding it… and still only a few possessed it and were able
to truly grasp it´s nature. Wisdom was like a child and yet as old as the
world itself. Wisdom could not be caught nor harnessed with any force known
to man. Wisdom was the most powerful instrument yet offered no protection
from even the crudest forged steel. Wisdom fled for the wise and showed
itself to the jester. Wisdom was the greatest folly ever and yet no one
understood the pun line. Wisdom was a living, breathing organism with a
peculiar sense of humour… and wisdom would always triumph because to be
quite frankly…wisdom did not care…
* Care… I care… and yet I may be the wisest thing on earth… perhaps they are wrong… after all, the writer of this book had to posses some wisdom on the subject of being wise, and he cared enough to make his idea's known to the world. Yes… perhaps I might be correct in assuming that even the wisest of man are…*
"Kami!!!! Kami!!!! Dear Kami…where are you???"
Kami looked up and smiled, age had taught him to appreciate his servant even though he had a habit of interrupting him every time he was on the verge of a meditated break through. He knew there would always be time for meditations in the afterlife (after all he came there often) while he would only be able to enjoy Popo´s company for a select number of years.
"Yes Popo… I am over here. So tell me, where is our guest?"
"He is waiting for you Kami!"
"Then take me to him Mr. Popo… let's not keep him waiting"
Tien looked up as the strange combination of friends walked out unto the edge of the platform on which Kami´s tower was build. One of them green and withered, old and wrinkled, intuitive and sly and the other black, round and outspoken. Tien had always liked Mr. Popo; sure he didn't look that bright, but he was one hell of a friend and would die for something he believed in… something that wasn't entirely alien to him. But they sure made on hell of a couple… just like him and Chaozu…
"Tien, I was hoping to speak to you. I believe this is the last time we speak before you go off and train together with Chaozu in the colder regions…is that correct?"
"Yes Kami… we would only burden the others in their training if we asked for their time to train us, and Chaozu and I are very confident about the new training scheme we have devised!"
"Is that why you are here? To say goodbye before you start your training?"
"No Kami… I have come here to ask for your advice."
As Kami took a better look at Tien he could now see the little pearls of sweat on Tien´s upper lip and forehead. The warrior was clenching his hands together and pressed them hard into his side…what ever it was the fighter was going to say… it was no easy confession. Finally he could see Tien taking a deep breath and gathering his courage…
"Its Chaozu Kami… I don't want him to have to fight the androids! He is not strong enough and will die again, and we won't be able to wish him back over and over. Dying is hard and every time you are wished back it fills you with greater resent! Leaving the afterlife took a lot out of him the second time, even though he hid it well, I don't want him to have to face that again! Everybody knows he wouldn't even have fought or died the first time if it wasn't for me… he is my friend and feels he has to follow me in combat to fight at my side, but I don't want him to… I want him to be save!" Tien had al but screamed the words and Kami saw how much the confession burdened Tien.
"It is not your choice to make Tien, Chaozu is the one who you have to convince, not me!
"I know, oh dear Kami how I know! All I ask of you is whether or not you think this decision is the right one!"
Tien could see how Kami struggled with his words…*Kami always looks so old when he has to decide about things. I know Chaozu will be better of if he doesn't do battle, but I need to ask Kami… I would feel much better telling Chaozu that he can't fight when I am backed up by the world's greatest sage! *
Kami twinged on the inside…so it was true, sages were fools. Darn! Kami stood there… silent and turned into himself… a passing wind blew past his antennas and made them wave like grass at a river shore. None could hear his silent contemplation but Tien and Popo knew enough to wait as the clouds passed them by high on the top of Kami´s tower… and all remained silent for a long time as Kami contemplated in meditation. * Chaozu… Tien… Yamcha… Vegeta… Goku… Gohan… Piccolo… perhaps we don't need Chaozu in this battle… afterall we now have Piccolo and Vegeta fighting at our side! * Kami let out a mental sigh… *But for how long? Vegeta seemed to be waiting for a chance to destroy Goku and when that happens there will be nothing here to stop him from destroying earth… and Piccolo… Oh Piccolo… I know you are not as tough as you think you are, the boy has tamed you… and soon we will be forced to merge again…either against the androids or against Vegeta. Its a miracle our separation has lasted as long as it has… we were meant to be as one and so we should be… we will both feel the urge soon enough, but I am not sure I am ready for that. If we merge Chaozu wont have to fight, but I am still not sure…*
Kami smiled… he had just made a decision… as easy as 1 2 3 he had just by logical thinking extracted the only right answer. *Chaozu shouldn't be made to fight because of my doubts, and if the only thing forcing him to fight is the doubts of an old man he shouldn't have to fight at all! Sure he would love to fight for Tien, but what Tien doesn't understand is that Chaozu only fights to protect Tien, so…*
"You have to make Chaozu believe that your risk will be greater when he is near you in battle…"
Tien inhaled sharply… "That would be lying Kami, he protects me best he can!"
Kami just remained silent making sure the tall three-eyed man would deduct the only right answer on his own.
Tien looked up at Kami… why was he just standing there… why wasn't he responding, did Kami think he gave a complete answer? "He does protect me best he can…he does…really..."
"…"
"Kami… tell me what you mean…please!"
Kami sighed…perhaps Tien wasn't ready for reasoning on his own just yet. "When you fight, do you worry about Chaozu?"
"Of course I do… I can hardly think of anything else!"
"Then would you not be safer and stronger when not having to worry about him?"
"So that is what you mean… I need some time to think about this…Thank you for your advice Kami, and mister Popo…thank you too!"
Popo smiled and watched the bald fighter raise his Ki and fly away, when he turned round again Kami was back in meditation… Popo smiled, he knew what was troubling his master… nobody liked Piccolo, but Mr. Popo did…. He knew that nothing could change the fact that Kami and Piccolo were more related then any blood bond could make them… the were one soul, one he loved.
* Care… I care… and yet I may be the wisest thing on earth… perhaps they are wrong… after all, the writer of this book had to posses some wisdom on the subject of being wise, and he cared enough to make his idea's known to the world. Yes… perhaps I might be correct in assuming that even the wisest of man are…*
"Kami!!!! Kami!!!! Dear Kami…where are you???"
Kami looked up and smiled, age had taught him to appreciate his servant even though he had a habit of interrupting him every time he was on the verge of a meditated break through. He knew there would always be time for meditations in the afterlife (after all he came there often) while he would only be able to enjoy Popo´s company for a select number of years.
"Yes Popo… I am over here. So tell me, where is our guest?"
"He is waiting for you Kami!"
"Then take me to him Mr. Popo… let's not keep him waiting"
Tien looked up as the strange combination of friends walked out unto the edge of the platform on which Kami´s tower was build. One of them green and withered, old and wrinkled, intuitive and sly and the other black, round and outspoken. Tien had always liked Mr. Popo; sure he didn't look that bright, but he was one hell of a friend and would die for something he believed in… something that wasn't entirely alien to him. But they sure made on hell of a couple… just like him and Chaozu…
"Tien, I was hoping to speak to you. I believe this is the last time we speak before you go off and train together with Chaozu in the colder regions…is that correct?"
"Yes Kami… we would only burden the others in their training if we asked for their time to train us, and Chaozu and I are very confident about the new training scheme we have devised!"
"Is that why you are here? To say goodbye before you start your training?"
"No Kami… I have come here to ask for your advice."
As Kami took a better look at Tien he could now see the little pearls of sweat on Tien´s upper lip and forehead. The warrior was clenching his hands together and pressed them hard into his side…what ever it was the fighter was going to say… it was no easy confession. Finally he could see Tien taking a deep breath and gathering his courage…
"Its Chaozu Kami… I don't want him to have to fight the androids! He is not strong enough and will die again, and we won't be able to wish him back over and over. Dying is hard and every time you are wished back it fills you with greater resent! Leaving the afterlife took a lot out of him the second time, even though he hid it well, I don't want him to have to face that again! Everybody knows he wouldn't even have fought or died the first time if it wasn't for me… he is my friend and feels he has to follow me in combat to fight at my side, but I don't want him to… I want him to be save!" Tien had al but screamed the words and Kami saw how much the confession burdened Tien.
"It is not your choice to make Tien, Chaozu is the one who you have to convince, not me!
"I know, oh dear Kami how I know! All I ask of you is whether or not you think this decision is the right one!"
Tien could see how Kami struggled with his words…*Kami always looks so old when he has to decide about things. I know Chaozu will be better of if he doesn't do battle, but I need to ask Kami… I would feel much better telling Chaozu that he can't fight when I am backed up by the world's greatest sage! *
Kami twinged on the inside…so it was true, sages were fools. Darn! Kami stood there… silent and turned into himself… a passing wind blew past his antennas and made them wave like grass at a river shore. None could hear his silent contemplation but Tien and Popo knew enough to wait as the clouds passed them by high on the top of Kami´s tower… and all remained silent for a long time as Kami contemplated in meditation. * Chaozu… Tien… Yamcha… Vegeta… Goku… Gohan… Piccolo… perhaps we don't need Chaozu in this battle… afterall we now have Piccolo and Vegeta fighting at our side! * Kami let out a mental sigh… *But for how long? Vegeta seemed to be waiting for a chance to destroy Goku and when that happens there will be nothing here to stop him from destroying earth… and Piccolo… Oh Piccolo… I know you are not as tough as you think you are, the boy has tamed you… and soon we will be forced to merge again…either against the androids or against Vegeta. Its a miracle our separation has lasted as long as it has… we were meant to be as one and so we should be… we will both feel the urge soon enough, but I am not sure I am ready for that. If we merge Chaozu wont have to fight, but I am still not sure…*
Kami smiled… he had just made a decision… as easy as 1 2 3 he had just by logical thinking extracted the only right answer. *Chaozu shouldn't be made to fight because of my doubts, and if the only thing forcing him to fight is the doubts of an old man he shouldn't have to fight at all! Sure he would love to fight for Tien, but what Tien doesn't understand is that Chaozu only fights to protect Tien, so…*
"You have to make Chaozu believe that your risk will be greater when he is near you in battle…"
Tien inhaled sharply… "That would be lying Kami, he protects me best he can!"
Kami just remained silent making sure the tall three-eyed man would deduct the only right answer on his own.
Tien looked up at Kami… why was he just standing there… why wasn't he responding, did Kami think he gave a complete answer? "He does protect me best he can…he does…really..."
"…"
"Kami… tell me what you mean…please!"
Kami sighed…perhaps Tien wasn't ready for reasoning on his own just yet. "When you fight, do you worry about Chaozu?"
"Of course I do… I can hardly think of anything else!"
"Then would you not be safer and stronger when not having to worry about him?"
"So that is what you mean… I need some time to think about this…Thank you for your advice Kami, and mister Popo…thank you too!"
Popo smiled and watched the bald fighter raise his Ki and fly away, when he turned round again Kami was back in meditation… Popo smiled, he knew what was troubling his master… nobody liked Piccolo, but Mr. Popo did…. He knew that nothing could change the fact that Kami and Piccolo were more related then any blood bond could make them… the were one soul, one he loved.