(A/N: Hi again! Welcome to the 10th Anniversary special. ~_^ It's just another chapter, but I'll try extra hard to make it worth reading!! Oh, and as a note to Jesscheaux: Yes, I received your email, and I enjoyed reading it. ^_^ However, I'm not allowed to email back for pleasure – just newsletters and the occasional forward, which also means that I can't use MSN Messenger anymore. ~Sob~ I'll get onto reading more of the TSR series soon, though, sorry I'm slacking off!)
"Dream Maker"
Chapter 10: Back to the Drawing Board
Finish Date: April 24th, 2002
Made By: Kittioto
(Kasan)
There he crouched, as intimidating as ever. It didn't matter that he wasn't standing up. It didn't matter that he wasn't scowling yet. All he had to do, was be there. He wasn't even looking at me, but I could FEEL the weight of his stare.
He was fantastic.
Fabulous, amazing, outstanding, you name it! All my life, I'd wanted to see him like this. Not just from the picture I had of him with my mother.
I wanted to SEE him.
And there he was! Crouching there right across from me, next to Shiga. Despite that I'd tried everything in my power not to see him, it was both a horrible, and at the same time, wonderful, moment. Because there he was. In the flesh. THERE.
It made me feel safe.
"She needs to be taken somewhere safe… you, 'Kasan' – take her to Capsule Corporation. I'll get some senzu beans. Maybe then we can settle this stupid course of events…" He grumbled at me but in a firm commanding tone, not bothering to look in my direction, and stood up.
Amazing indeed.
I nodded in response to him, letting him know that I'd heard, and scooped up Shiga in my arms like a new-born. She moaned quietly, continuing to keep her eyes closed, but still clutched onto her wound.
"And Kasan…" I looked back up to find that Piccolo was staring right at me. Burning a hole through me with his cold, charcoal black eyes.
"I know you're lying about something, and I know you've been hiding your energy. I may not know why quite yet, but slip up again… and you can have certain confidence that I WILL kill you."
I stared back at him, with no expression on my face. Despite this and his obvious threat, I grinned inwardly. Intimidating, yes, but the irony of it all was as sweet as honey. If he'd known who I was, he would probably be protecting me – not looking for a choke-hold.
With one last glare of death, he turned his back to me and Shiga, lifting off to the skies, where I assumed Korin's Tower was. I'd heard of the platform in the sky, but never actually been there.
Shiga rested her head against my chest as a support, breathing a bit heavily.
"How're we gunna get back, Kasan…?"
I smiled down at her. She still didn't know how strong I really was.
"We fly."
(Piccolo)
I GLARED down at the over-grown house cat. "What do you MEAN you 'don't have any senzu beans'!?"
"I mean what I said! We don't have any yet, sorry chum, but they're just not in season!"
If that cat ever called me 'chum' again… oh, I swear…
"IN SEASON!? I need those senzu beans!"
"Hey, what's the emergency? I mean, you're just going to use them for training, big deal!" Short fat white cat known as 'Korin' put his hands… er, PAWS on his hips. Trying to look tough, was he? The stupid cat didn't know what tough was.
"Alright, alright, fine then…" I growled deep in my throat and tried to muster up some patience. "When WILL they be 'in season'?"
Korin paused, seeming to be thinking about it or calculating something. "Um… probably about four weeks."
"YOU CALL THAT A SEASON!!?"
"Hey, I didn't create the beans, I just grow 'em!!"
Oh, for the love a… four weeks? Four WEEKS? Four weeks of torture. My guess was that Kasan would be looking after Shiga, and if I wanted to get some answers out of him, I'd have to face a wounded pest. Great. Just great.
"FINE! I'll be back in four weeks, but they better be here by then, or you can kiss your sorry tail goodbye!" I scowled at the cat, annoyed by his presence, and dropped off of his tower. Capsule Corporation wasn't that far. Another mere guess, was that Kasan had been spending a great deal of time with Shiga over the past week or two.
Why else would they be wandering through the forest like a pack of hungry wolves?
It only made sense.
And Shiga had been staying at CC lately… which probably meant that Kasan was as well. That's why I'd entrusted him to take her back. After all, I surely didn't want to deal with carrying her.
Hopefully, the mystery of this 'Kasan' person would be solved soon. It better be, anyway. Oh yes, it better.
(Shiga)
The most recent thing Kasan had told me was "We fly."… Right then, I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Soon afterward it was revealed to me that not only tall green men were capable of soaring through the air like a pigeon on steroids.
This would be the second time my random injuries forced me to be carried through the wind by handsome tall men from who knows where.
Kasan didn't say a thing as we soared through the air, just looked ahead of him, where he was going. The fact that he could fly with ease without wings was far beyond me. How could he really be human, anyway? With him able to fly and all. The ears and strangely large eyes didn't really help the concept, either.
"Kasan…" I cleared my throat and looked up at him, basically only getting a clear shot of his chin. It hurt enough to be breathing, and more to talk, but there wasn't really anything else I could do.
"Kasan, are you… are you really human?"
I felt a shiver roll through him at the question, and he kept his gaze fixed ahead of him.
"… No, Shiga. I'm not human." I noticed as he bit his lip distastefully. Evidently the question had bothered him.
"Than… what are you, exactly?"
Kasan closed his eyes for just a moment, and then resumed his stare ahead.
"I'm not anything in particular. It's… complicated."
I nodded weakly in understanding. When I'd first met him, he'd told me that he couldn't tell me his real name. That it was actually VITAL that I didn't know. I assumed that his origin was that way, as well.
And the fact that he wasn't human hardly bothered me. After all, I was quite used to different beings by now. Goku and Gohan were Saiyans… as well as that jerk Vegeta. Or at least that's what I'd been told. And of course Piccolo was green, which sort of gave that away. I think ChiChi called him a… a… Namek? Sounds right.
Sometimes I wondered if I was even human, considering all the mixed breeds around here. But being thrashed about by a blinding light and enduring a stick going in and out of my leg also helped me realize just how mortal I really was. And how weak I was compared to the warriors surrounding me.
To be completely honest, I was tired of being weak. If things continued this way… who knows what may happen? Seems I'm more than just prone to injuries. They FLOCK to me!
I was tired of being weak, I was tired of having serious injuries, and I was tired of becoming helpless because of it!! I hated the idea of having to be protected. First Piccolo had saved me… and I have amnesia. Now not only does Kasan have to treat me like a small child, but Piccolo steps in once more to help me out.
I didn't want to have to owe Piccolo anything. And now what? Now I had to owe Kasan, too? The Sons, for looking after me? The Briefs for now giving me a place to live, regardless that I haven't done anything for them? AND the food?
I was TIRED of it!!
Yes yes, of course I appreciated their kindness… no duh. Where would I be without it? Probably dead. Or waiting to become. But now I was in debt, in a sense. Piccolo had saved my life… and Kasan helped me out. Though, it was Kasan's fault in the first place that I'd gotten hurt, but that was beside the point.
"Kasan." I struggled to talk again, and cleared my mucus and blood-clogged throat from my hard encounter with the rock.
Kasan looked back at me for a moment to let me know he was listening.
"Kasan… will you train me?"
He blinked about five times rapidly and looked back down at me, then in front of him… then back down on me again.
"Uh… train?"
I nodded slightly. "Yeah. You… you, Piccolo, Vegeta, Goku; all of them, are powerful… I'm weak. I'm helpless, Kasan, and I'm a burden."
"You're not a 'burden'…" Kasan mumbled quietly.
"Yes I am!" I coughed a bit from raising my voice and looked back up at him. "Don't deny it, I am. I'm weak, slow, and generally an annoyance. I'm not an idiot though, Kasan. I know I'm holding everything back."
Kasan didn't say anything for a little bit, then spoke up again. "You're injured. I… I can't train you if you're injured."
"Well, then you can when I get better!!" I tried, adding some enthusiasm.
"Um… well uh… uh…" Kasan just kind of stuttered a bit, every once in a while glancing down at me.
"I… I can't train you, Shiga. I… I've never taught anyone before. I wouldn't make a good teacher."
I sighed very softly to avoid hurting my throat, but accepted it. OBVIOUSLY I was a burden in this sense, as well. Too much so even to teach.
"Well… I guess I'll just ask someone else to teach me." I whispered in remorse.
"WHAT?"
"Yeah… I guess I can ask Goku. Gohan I know wouldn't have any time to help me out, he's always studying…" I trailed off a bit, hardly noticing Kasan's stare.
"Well, well… what about the flower!?" A hint of panic coloring his voice.
"We can look for the flower afterwards! After all, how can I ever help you if I keep getting hurt? I need to get stronger!" I smirked and looked ahead at where we were going. My smirk soon vanished as I noticed Kasan wasn't looking where he was headed.
"You can't TRAIN, we have to look for that flower! It's my sister's LIFE, Shiga, we have to ---"
"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE YOU MORON!"
Kasan looked ahead of him just in time to barely avoid slamming both of us into a huge Oak.
"GHALL, Kasan, look where you're going!!"
The teen said nothing and just put on his serious face – this time looking AHEAD of him.
For some reason, I got this strange feeling of recognition. That stone cold glance that hides embarrassment or frustration. Probably from Vegeta, heh. From the short (HEE – "short": get it!!??? … Wow, that was lame) times I'd seen or heard him from the intermissions of between meals and the gravity chamber, I really, REALLY didn't like the guy. "Mighty Prince" – Yeah, sure. Whatever. Get off your high-horse! That kind of stuff just bugged me.
However, for the time-being, Kasan was being quiet and let the training conversation slip. Maybe it was his silent way of agreeing with me… or maybe he didn't agree. Not that it would matter in the long run, because he certainly wouldn't stop me from my goal. After all, he needed my COOPERATION. Not resistance.
So that was that. As soon as I got healed enough, I'd ask Goku to train me.
I yawned quietly and rested my head on Kasan's shoulder, already having my arms wrapped around his neck. Today was hard… it was rough. My leg was bleeding like a stuck pig, even though Piccolo had wrapped some of his outfit around the wound. No longer was the cloth purple… now it was stained a deep red.
I hoped Piccolo wouldn't be too mad… how would he really get any clothes way out there in the forest, anyway? Piccolo: The green man of mystery.
With one last glance at Kasan, I shut my eyes and let him do the flying. Hopefully he'd look where he was going this time.
(Piccolo)
And so I began my journey to Capsule Corp, headed for certain doom. I took my time. I did not want to face Shiga.
I did not want to face Vegeta.
And I SINCERELY did not want to face that maniac BULMA, or her high-voiced mother. Their voices were like whistles ringing through my ears – enough to make me want to rip them off. But I had no choice if I was going to get any answers from this "Kasan".
I didn't like the looks of Kasan. He looked… suspicious. Leery. Uncomfortable. Generally distant.
And powerful.
*Great… all we need is another powerful brat.* I thought sarcastically to myself and sneered.
And I HATED being lied to. The boy couldn't hide from me forever – I would figure the brat out. OBVIOUSLY he was hiding from me. The expression on his face when I showed up confirmed that. The kid was scared half to death of my presence… now I only had to find out why.
Another thing, is that he'd just popped up out of nowhere. This was the most suspicious thing about him. Large power levels don't simply APPEAR. They grow slowly… not randomly happen to become larger than average. It simply didn't happen. It was a puzzle… that's what it was. And it was only a matter of time before I completed it. And, unlike Goku, I happen to be fairly good at puzzles.
I growled at myself for being careless.
Yes, I'd been careless. How had I not noticed this punk from day one? I should have. I was a guardian, a care-taker. I watched, I observed. The way Kasan had simply appeared proved that I wasn't fulfilling my personal vows very well.
I'd SWORN that I'd take care of Gohan. Sworn. And… I haven't failed yet. I'd make sure I never would.
So if this Kasan… turned out to be more than what he appeared… I would take all necessary actions. And responsibility. Nothing could stop me from my goals, once I consider the situation serious. Failing Gohan, in ANY way, was something I wouldn't be able to live with. It almost bothered me, how I'd become so attached to the boy.
At the same time, it gave me a sense of security… which I found strangely… comforting.
Long ago I'd become aware of the feeling, though I never could really get used to it. Something foreign to me, to my thoughts, had abruptly entered my life when I sacrificed myself for the boy. That's something that doesn't simply click into place.
While thinking of my responsibilities, I suddenly became aware that Capsule Corporation was only another thirty seconds away, so I powered down slightly to land, almost passing up the looming building. Pff… Humans, always trying to glorify themselves with large possessions. How foolish.
I shook my head, and knocked on the door. It was locked, and I figured I'd get a loud thrashing of insults if I broke it down. I wasn't all that anxious to go in, anyway.
A few moments passed, when finally Bulma opened the door, and gave me one of those annoying "What are you doing here?" looks.
"What are you doing here, Piccolo?" She asked, mirroring her face in words.
I scowled back and said nothing, looking over her head, and just invited myself in.
"Piccolo! What manners, sheesh!"
I heard a click behind me, a siren that Bulma had closed the door.
"Where's Shiga?" I asked gruffly, having no patience for the woman. It didn't concern her, anyway.
"Up-stairs, Mr. Charming."
I ignored her remark of my social attitude, and headed up the stairs. Stairs… useless as well. If Humans weren't so lazy and weak, they could just jump up different floors if they still felt the need to glorify themselves with looming buildings.
I peeked into a couple rooms, and finally found the one I was looking for. The one with Shiga in it, and Kasan as well.
I must have made a lot of noise when I entered, because Kasan jumped like the hounds of HFIL were after him.
"Oh… heheh… hiya Piccolo!" I returned his courtesy with a scowl, and shifted my gaze over to Shiga. It wasn't surprising that her eyes were closed… must have fallen asleep or passed out on the way over there.
"When did she fall asleep?"
Kasan hadn't taken his eyes off of me yet.
"About 10 minutes ago… pretty wiped out I guess."
I nodded mutely and shifted my eyes to Kasan, not moving my head from it's previous position, and crossed my arms. "I wasn't able to get any senzu, beans, so you'll be stuck with her for a while. Korin said they weren't in season, but they should be in four weeks… then I'll return, and you can get on with whatever you were doing with Shiga before this happened, IF I don't kill you first."
I added emphasis on the "IF". I still didn't like the looks of him.
Kasan simply nodded curtly, like he'd expected it all, and finally broke his gaze from me, down to Shiga.
"… I… suppose you'll want to know what I was doing with Shiga alone in a forest. It does seem… pretty odd."
I said nothing, but he was right. I knew Humans weren't the most… modest… creatures around. Especially when alone with the opposite gender. Personally, I wouldn't know all that much as to what compels them to do such things, being able to reproduce without anything else's presence. Who'd want a small version of themselves around, anyway?
"Well…" Kasan continued, sounding nervous as he did so. "I'm… not from around here, you see. Not really. And my sister, um… not from around here either, is very ill."
I raised an eye-ridge in mild interest. Could this being actually be NOBLE? Not likely.
"Well… the only cure that's known to help her, is located somewhere near that forest, as far as I know. Actually, it's a flower… orange and red center, midnight blue petals, and a red stem… Shiga… is the only one who can help me find it. It's complicated… and it sounds stupid, I know, but you've gotta trust me, sir."
Trust? Heh, I didn't trust him. But who was I to get in the way? If he tried anything, I'd simply kill him. It wasn't a new concept. No problem.
A moment of silence passed, and Kasan seemed to grow more and more nervous before I spoke up.
"Who are you really?" I looked ahead of me and at the wall. He'd probably lie to me again, but it was worth a shot.
Kasan took a step forward in the large, plain looking room, and put his hands in his pockets, his eyes guided towards the floor.
"Someone that doesn't belong here, sir. I can't say my real name, I'm sorry. It's… something I can't do."
"Why not?" I shot back at him, yanking my head in his direction. The boy looked fearful for a moment, then his eyes glazed back to the ground.
"I can't tell you that, either…"
(A/N: Hehehehehh… I don't want to spoil anything about this story, but I feel like saying that the ending of this story probably isn't what you'd expect. ~Grins~ But, alas: the ending isn't really that close! This is a mile-long story of DOOM, and it shall not end yet!! Well, what do you expect? This story is my baby! My love! ~_^ So don't forget to review… heheh! Love ya'll, and thanks for reading! Oh yes, and forever sorry if this was too short… I'm a bit slow on my wording, I like to be precise. I guess it doesn't help too much that I look over the chapter five million times looking for errors, either, eh? ^_^)
()):^,
---
"Dream Maker"
Chapter 10: Back to the Drawing Board
Finish Date: April 24th, 2002
Made By: Kittioto
(Kasan)
There he crouched, as intimidating as ever. It didn't matter that he wasn't standing up. It didn't matter that he wasn't scowling yet. All he had to do, was be there. He wasn't even looking at me, but I could FEEL the weight of his stare.
He was fantastic.
Fabulous, amazing, outstanding, you name it! All my life, I'd wanted to see him like this. Not just from the picture I had of him with my mother.
I wanted to SEE him.
And there he was! Crouching there right across from me, next to Shiga. Despite that I'd tried everything in my power not to see him, it was both a horrible, and at the same time, wonderful, moment. Because there he was. In the flesh. THERE.
It made me feel safe.
"She needs to be taken somewhere safe… you, 'Kasan' – take her to Capsule Corporation. I'll get some senzu beans. Maybe then we can settle this stupid course of events…" He grumbled at me but in a firm commanding tone, not bothering to look in my direction, and stood up.
Amazing indeed.
I nodded in response to him, letting him know that I'd heard, and scooped up Shiga in my arms like a new-born. She moaned quietly, continuing to keep her eyes closed, but still clutched onto her wound.
"And Kasan…" I looked back up to find that Piccolo was staring right at me. Burning a hole through me with his cold, charcoal black eyes.
"I know you're lying about something, and I know you've been hiding your energy. I may not know why quite yet, but slip up again… and you can have certain confidence that I WILL kill you."
I stared back at him, with no expression on my face. Despite this and his obvious threat, I grinned inwardly. Intimidating, yes, but the irony of it all was as sweet as honey. If he'd known who I was, he would probably be protecting me – not looking for a choke-hold.
With one last glare of death, he turned his back to me and Shiga, lifting off to the skies, where I assumed Korin's Tower was. I'd heard of the platform in the sky, but never actually been there.
Shiga rested her head against my chest as a support, breathing a bit heavily.
"How're we gunna get back, Kasan…?"
I smiled down at her. She still didn't know how strong I really was.
"We fly."
(Piccolo)
I GLARED down at the over-grown house cat. "What do you MEAN you 'don't have any senzu beans'!?"
"I mean what I said! We don't have any yet, sorry chum, but they're just not in season!"
If that cat ever called me 'chum' again… oh, I swear…
"IN SEASON!? I need those senzu beans!"
"Hey, what's the emergency? I mean, you're just going to use them for training, big deal!" Short fat white cat known as 'Korin' put his hands… er, PAWS on his hips. Trying to look tough, was he? The stupid cat didn't know what tough was.
"Alright, alright, fine then…" I growled deep in my throat and tried to muster up some patience. "When WILL they be 'in season'?"
Korin paused, seeming to be thinking about it or calculating something. "Um… probably about four weeks."
"YOU CALL THAT A SEASON!!?"
"Hey, I didn't create the beans, I just grow 'em!!"
Oh, for the love a… four weeks? Four WEEKS? Four weeks of torture. My guess was that Kasan would be looking after Shiga, and if I wanted to get some answers out of him, I'd have to face a wounded pest. Great. Just great.
"FINE! I'll be back in four weeks, but they better be here by then, or you can kiss your sorry tail goodbye!" I scowled at the cat, annoyed by his presence, and dropped off of his tower. Capsule Corporation wasn't that far. Another mere guess, was that Kasan had been spending a great deal of time with Shiga over the past week or two.
Why else would they be wandering through the forest like a pack of hungry wolves?
It only made sense.
And Shiga had been staying at CC lately… which probably meant that Kasan was as well. That's why I'd entrusted him to take her back. After all, I surely didn't want to deal with carrying her.
Hopefully, the mystery of this 'Kasan' person would be solved soon. It better be, anyway. Oh yes, it better.
(Shiga)
The most recent thing Kasan had told me was "We fly."… Right then, I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Soon afterward it was revealed to me that not only tall green men were capable of soaring through the air like a pigeon on steroids.
This would be the second time my random injuries forced me to be carried through the wind by handsome tall men from who knows where.
Kasan didn't say a thing as we soared through the air, just looked ahead of him, where he was going. The fact that he could fly with ease without wings was far beyond me. How could he really be human, anyway? With him able to fly and all. The ears and strangely large eyes didn't really help the concept, either.
"Kasan…" I cleared my throat and looked up at him, basically only getting a clear shot of his chin. It hurt enough to be breathing, and more to talk, but there wasn't really anything else I could do.
"Kasan, are you… are you really human?"
I felt a shiver roll through him at the question, and he kept his gaze fixed ahead of him.
"… No, Shiga. I'm not human." I noticed as he bit his lip distastefully. Evidently the question had bothered him.
"Than… what are you, exactly?"
Kasan closed his eyes for just a moment, and then resumed his stare ahead.
"I'm not anything in particular. It's… complicated."
I nodded weakly in understanding. When I'd first met him, he'd told me that he couldn't tell me his real name. That it was actually VITAL that I didn't know. I assumed that his origin was that way, as well.
And the fact that he wasn't human hardly bothered me. After all, I was quite used to different beings by now. Goku and Gohan were Saiyans… as well as that jerk Vegeta. Or at least that's what I'd been told. And of course Piccolo was green, which sort of gave that away. I think ChiChi called him a… a… Namek? Sounds right.
Sometimes I wondered if I was even human, considering all the mixed breeds around here. But being thrashed about by a blinding light and enduring a stick going in and out of my leg also helped me realize just how mortal I really was. And how weak I was compared to the warriors surrounding me.
To be completely honest, I was tired of being weak. If things continued this way… who knows what may happen? Seems I'm more than just prone to injuries. They FLOCK to me!
I was tired of being weak, I was tired of having serious injuries, and I was tired of becoming helpless because of it!! I hated the idea of having to be protected. First Piccolo had saved me… and I have amnesia. Now not only does Kasan have to treat me like a small child, but Piccolo steps in once more to help me out.
I didn't want to have to owe Piccolo anything. And now what? Now I had to owe Kasan, too? The Sons, for looking after me? The Briefs for now giving me a place to live, regardless that I haven't done anything for them? AND the food?
I was TIRED of it!!
Yes yes, of course I appreciated their kindness… no duh. Where would I be without it? Probably dead. Or waiting to become. But now I was in debt, in a sense. Piccolo had saved my life… and Kasan helped me out. Though, it was Kasan's fault in the first place that I'd gotten hurt, but that was beside the point.
"Kasan." I struggled to talk again, and cleared my mucus and blood-clogged throat from my hard encounter with the rock.
Kasan looked back at me for a moment to let me know he was listening.
"Kasan… will you train me?"
He blinked about five times rapidly and looked back down at me, then in front of him… then back down on me again.
"Uh… train?"
I nodded slightly. "Yeah. You… you, Piccolo, Vegeta, Goku; all of them, are powerful… I'm weak. I'm helpless, Kasan, and I'm a burden."
"You're not a 'burden'…" Kasan mumbled quietly.
"Yes I am!" I coughed a bit from raising my voice and looked back up at him. "Don't deny it, I am. I'm weak, slow, and generally an annoyance. I'm not an idiot though, Kasan. I know I'm holding everything back."
Kasan didn't say anything for a little bit, then spoke up again. "You're injured. I… I can't train you if you're injured."
"Well, then you can when I get better!!" I tried, adding some enthusiasm.
"Um… well uh… uh…" Kasan just kind of stuttered a bit, every once in a while glancing down at me.
"I… I can't train you, Shiga. I… I've never taught anyone before. I wouldn't make a good teacher."
I sighed very softly to avoid hurting my throat, but accepted it. OBVIOUSLY I was a burden in this sense, as well. Too much so even to teach.
"Well… I guess I'll just ask someone else to teach me." I whispered in remorse.
"WHAT?"
"Yeah… I guess I can ask Goku. Gohan I know wouldn't have any time to help me out, he's always studying…" I trailed off a bit, hardly noticing Kasan's stare.
"Well, well… what about the flower!?" A hint of panic coloring his voice.
"We can look for the flower afterwards! After all, how can I ever help you if I keep getting hurt? I need to get stronger!" I smirked and looked ahead at where we were going. My smirk soon vanished as I noticed Kasan wasn't looking where he was headed.
"You can't TRAIN, we have to look for that flower! It's my sister's LIFE, Shiga, we have to ---"
"WATCH OUT FOR THAT TREE YOU MORON!"
Kasan looked ahead of him just in time to barely avoid slamming both of us into a huge Oak.
"GHALL, Kasan, look where you're going!!"
The teen said nothing and just put on his serious face – this time looking AHEAD of him.
For some reason, I got this strange feeling of recognition. That stone cold glance that hides embarrassment or frustration. Probably from Vegeta, heh. From the short (HEE – "short": get it!!??? … Wow, that was lame) times I'd seen or heard him from the intermissions of between meals and the gravity chamber, I really, REALLY didn't like the guy. "Mighty Prince" – Yeah, sure. Whatever. Get off your high-horse! That kind of stuff just bugged me.
However, for the time-being, Kasan was being quiet and let the training conversation slip. Maybe it was his silent way of agreeing with me… or maybe he didn't agree. Not that it would matter in the long run, because he certainly wouldn't stop me from my goal. After all, he needed my COOPERATION. Not resistance.
So that was that. As soon as I got healed enough, I'd ask Goku to train me.
I yawned quietly and rested my head on Kasan's shoulder, already having my arms wrapped around his neck. Today was hard… it was rough. My leg was bleeding like a stuck pig, even though Piccolo had wrapped some of his outfit around the wound. No longer was the cloth purple… now it was stained a deep red.
I hoped Piccolo wouldn't be too mad… how would he really get any clothes way out there in the forest, anyway? Piccolo: The green man of mystery.
With one last glance at Kasan, I shut my eyes and let him do the flying. Hopefully he'd look where he was going this time.
(Piccolo)
And so I began my journey to Capsule Corp, headed for certain doom. I took my time. I did not want to face Shiga.
I did not want to face Vegeta.
And I SINCERELY did not want to face that maniac BULMA, or her high-voiced mother. Their voices were like whistles ringing through my ears – enough to make me want to rip them off. But I had no choice if I was going to get any answers from this "Kasan".
I didn't like the looks of Kasan. He looked… suspicious. Leery. Uncomfortable. Generally distant.
And powerful.
*Great… all we need is another powerful brat.* I thought sarcastically to myself and sneered.
And I HATED being lied to. The boy couldn't hide from me forever – I would figure the brat out. OBVIOUSLY he was hiding from me. The expression on his face when I showed up confirmed that. The kid was scared half to death of my presence… now I only had to find out why.
Another thing, is that he'd just popped up out of nowhere. This was the most suspicious thing about him. Large power levels don't simply APPEAR. They grow slowly… not randomly happen to become larger than average. It simply didn't happen. It was a puzzle… that's what it was. And it was only a matter of time before I completed it. And, unlike Goku, I happen to be fairly good at puzzles.
I growled at myself for being careless.
Yes, I'd been careless. How had I not noticed this punk from day one? I should have. I was a guardian, a care-taker. I watched, I observed. The way Kasan had simply appeared proved that I wasn't fulfilling my personal vows very well.
I'd SWORN that I'd take care of Gohan. Sworn. And… I haven't failed yet. I'd make sure I never would.
So if this Kasan… turned out to be more than what he appeared… I would take all necessary actions. And responsibility. Nothing could stop me from my goals, once I consider the situation serious. Failing Gohan, in ANY way, was something I wouldn't be able to live with. It almost bothered me, how I'd become so attached to the boy.
At the same time, it gave me a sense of security… which I found strangely… comforting.
Long ago I'd become aware of the feeling, though I never could really get used to it. Something foreign to me, to my thoughts, had abruptly entered my life when I sacrificed myself for the boy. That's something that doesn't simply click into place.
While thinking of my responsibilities, I suddenly became aware that Capsule Corporation was only another thirty seconds away, so I powered down slightly to land, almost passing up the looming building. Pff… Humans, always trying to glorify themselves with large possessions. How foolish.
I shook my head, and knocked on the door. It was locked, and I figured I'd get a loud thrashing of insults if I broke it down. I wasn't all that anxious to go in, anyway.
A few moments passed, when finally Bulma opened the door, and gave me one of those annoying "What are you doing here?" looks.
"What are you doing here, Piccolo?" She asked, mirroring her face in words.
I scowled back and said nothing, looking over her head, and just invited myself in.
"Piccolo! What manners, sheesh!"
I heard a click behind me, a siren that Bulma had closed the door.
"Where's Shiga?" I asked gruffly, having no patience for the woman. It didn't concern her, anyway.
"Up-stairs, Mr. Charming."
I ignored her remark of my social attitude, and headed up the stairs. Stairs… useless as well. If Humans weren't so lazy and weak, they could just jump up different floors if they still felt the need to glorify themselves with looming buildings.
I peeked into a couple rooms, and finally found the one I was looking for. The one with Shiga in it, and Kasan as well.
I must have made a lot of noise when I entered, because Kasan jumped like the hounds of HFIL were after him.
"Oh… heheh… hiya Piccolo!" I returned his courtesy with a scowl, and shifted my gaze over to Shiga. It wasn't surprising that her eyes were closed… must have fallen asleep or passed out on the way over there.
"When did she fall asleep?"
Kasan hadn't taken his eyes off of me yet.
"About 10 minutes ago… pretty wiped out I guess."
I nodded mutely and shifted my eyes to Kasan, not moving my head from it's previous position, and crossed my arms. "I wasn't able to get any senzu, beans, so you'll be stuck with her for a while. Korin said they weren't in season, but they should be in four weeks… then I'll return, and you can get on with whatever you were doing with Shiga before this happened, IF I don't kill you first."
I added emphasis on the "IF". I still didn't like the looks of him.
Kasan simply nodded curtly, like he'd expected it all, and finally broke his gaze from me, down to Shiga.
"… I… suppose you'll want to know what I was doing with Shiga alone in a forest. It does seem… pretty odd."
I said nothing, but he was right. I knew Humans weren't the most… modest… creatures around. Especially when alone with the opposite gender. Personally, I wouldn't know all that much as to what compels them to do such things, being able to reproduce without anything else's presence. Who'd want a small version of themselves around, anyway?
"Well…" Kasan continued, sounding nervous as he did so. "I'm… not from around here, you see. Not really. And my sister, um… not from around here either, is very ill."
I raised an eye-ridge in mild interest. Could this being actually be NOBLE? Not likely.
"Well… the only cure that's known to help her, is located somewhere near that forest, as far as I know. Actually, it's a flower… orange and red center, midnight blue petals, and a red stem… Shiga… is the only one who can help me find it. It's complicated… and it sounds stupid, I know, but you've gotta trust me, sir."
Trust? Heh, I didn't trust him. But who was I to get in the way? If he tried anything, I'd simply kill him. It wasn't a new concept. No problem.
A moment of silence passed, and Kasan seemed to grow more and more nervous before I spoke up.
"Who are you really?" I looked ahead of me and at the wall. He'd probably lie to me again, but it was worth a shot.
Kasan took a step forward in the large, plain looking room, and put his hands in his pockets, his eyes guided towards the floor.
"Someone that doesn't belong here, sir. I can't say my real name, I'm sorry. It's… something I can't do."
"Why not?" I shot back at him, yanking my head in his direction. The boy looked fearful for a moment, then his eyes glazed back to the ground.
"I can't tell you that, either…"
(A/N: Hehehehehh… I don't want to spoil anything about this story, but I feel like saying that the ending of this story probably isn't what you'd expect. ~Grins~ But, alas: the ending isn't really that close! This is a mile-long story of DOOM, and it shall not end yet!! Well, what do you expect? This story is my baby! My love! ~_^ So don't forget to review… heheh! Love ya'll, and thanks for reading! Oh yes, and forever sorry if this was too short… I'm a bit slow on my wording, I like to be precise. I guess it doesn't help too much that I look over the chapter five million times looking for errors, either, eh? ^_^)
()):^,
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