Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ…
Shadows of the Past
Chapter 21
The room was dark, except for the light shinning down from the sphere of light hovering silently above the Tarchen board. Shani sat up onto her knees and smirked as she chose the seated figure holding a crystal globe in his lap off of the second board. She stuck her tongue out at Vegeta as she moved the pewter and crystal figure twelve spaces forward and two to the right before she finally put him down. Vegeta arched one eyebrow as he watched five pieces disappear from his ranks. " Attack! " Shani said with a giggle.
The Saiyan Prince supposed he didn't mind loosing the four from the two lower boards, they were only pawns but the piece that had vanished off of the top board was the figure of his Captain of the Guard. " What did you just do? "
" Remember when I told you that advisors are the most powerful fighting piece on the middle board? "
" Yeah… but how did you get my Captain? "
" Well, actually, I tried to assassinate your king. It failed because you had your Captain in the way, lucky for you. I knew it wouldn't work, but I also knew you wouldn't expect it. "
" I thought that's what the assassin figure right there is for. " Vegeta asked picking up the small, cloaked figure standing a few spaces across from Shani's advisor.
" Let me tell you something about the advisor piece, then I'll explain why I didn't use my assassin. The advisor is a lesser piece on the top and bottom boards, but in the middle board he pretty much does as he pleases. His strengths are his ability to move other pieces for the king and queen and he can also attack on his own. I used him to attack, so right now he is helpless… "
" But he's just a bureaucrat… how can he attack in the first place? "
" He makes his bodyguards attack after he has gotten permission to see your ruler. He isn't actually the one that does any fighting. He is supposed to escape, but he doesn't have any guards anymore, so even one pawn can take him down now. If I can get him back to his place in the board, he will be able to defend himself again, but until then he is the weakest piece on the board. The trouble with catching advisors though, is that if you approach him head on he will bribe them into letting him go. He can turn any piece on the board into one of my color as long as he is facing them, except the king and queen. "
Vegeta smirked. " So that is why you moved pawns to all sides of that empty space. You knew he'd be in range and you were planning to attack… very sneaky, Shani. I didn't think you had it in you. But why didn't you just use the assassin? "
" You can only use your assassin once per board, and after he is used he always returns to the space on the board that he starts in, on the middle board. He reappears there magically, after he makes his attack but before my next attack, so he would be vulnerable and unable to get away until your next turn. "
Vegeta nodded, pausing slightly to study the board. " So… if I send anything to kill your advisor right now, he will buy them off? And if I let you get him back to the space he usually sits at, he will be back to his full power? "
" Yep. Your King or Queen couldn't be bribed, but even your assassin can't attack him head on. You don't have enough guards near my advisor to protect your King or queen if you move against him now. Admit it Vegeta, I got you this time. It was a good move. "
Vegeta was silent and still as he glared at the advisor piece; it was definitely a calculated risk. Her move was solid and he certainly hadn't expected it, but letting her get away with it wasn't acceptable. He looked up suddenly and smirked, picking up the king piece. Shani bit her lip anxiously, but couldn't stop herself from smiling.
When he put the king on the board, in the space in front of Shani's advisor pawn, on the middle board. "Capture. " Vegeta said, her advisor disappeared from the three boards, but it was Shani's turn again. She glanced back and forth between her king and queen for a moment before she picked up her queen and placed it where the advisor had just stood. Vegeta laughed, " Attack. " He purred and placed the figurine of his assassin in the square with her queen.
Shani's jaw dropped and she stared at him as her queen and the assassin both disappeared from the square. " W-You're the sneaky one! You never put the assassin back down and he can be held for up to three turns, but he always gets first strike!! You… I don't believe it. You tricked me! "
" At least you decided not to move your king there. The game isn't over. " Vegeta shrugged. "Why didn't you just play it safe and send a knight with the three pawns?
" It might as well be over. Without my advisor all of my pieces move at least one space slower, and you got my queen too. But it's worse than her being captured; she's dead! " Shani pouted.
Vegeta scowled at her, not wanting to admit that he didn't like it when she was mad at him. " I only captured your advisor. I'll ransom him back to you for the tower that he captured on square 778 last week. "
" You're trying to trick me again. " She sulked, folding her arms across her chest stubbornly refusing to look at him.
" Is it working? "
" You jerk! " Shani growled and was on the attack in an instant, her movements a blur of pure gold. But Vegeta just laughed. She was fast, but not strong enough to hurt him. Her delicate fists would get hurt long before his arm did. Finally he just laughed and pounced on her lightly. He rolled to protect her from the impact and trapped her on the floor effortlessly, and started tickling her ribs without mercy.
" NO!! " Shani thrashed and squealed helplessly in rage but it soon gave way to laughter. " I-I give up!! " She gasped, squirming helplessly. " I can't breathe!! Stop it, V-Vegeta! Leave me alone! "
" What's the matter, can't the little tree hugger make the monkey leave her alone? " Vegeta purred as he stopped tickling, but he didn't let her go.
Shani scowled at him and her lip stuck out like she was pouting again. He smirked and started to tickle her again. This time she begged for mercy. "Oh no! Stop it!! Please? Vegeta! No more… it hurts to laugh! Please? "
He smirked at her as he stood up. She stayed on the floor though, trying to steady her ragged breathing. Finally she sat up, looking at him with those shimmering silver eyes. She still looked sad. It was never this hard to cheer her up. He was about to ask her what was wrong, when she jumped up and ran to the door. " I'm hungry. Let's go see what kind of ice cream the cooks have tonight! "
" Ice cream? We didn't have it today or yesterday and it's not on the menu for tomorrow either. "
"Elda and Alta always have ice cream in the freezer! You just have to know when to ask for it! Well, and I guess maybe it doesn't hurt to be cute like me. " She said, smiling at him sweetly. He rolled his eyes but followed her to the kitchen.
The two cooks were busy baking so they didn't see either of their two visitors until Shani hopped up on the counter. " Why Shani, " Elda said with a warm smile. " I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight. What can I do for you? "
" Vegeta and I were wondering if you have any ice cream. "
" Vegeta? " She leaned over the counter, and smiled. " Well, well. You two have class in the morning. You really ought to be sleeping… " The cook chided gently. Then she smiled. " But, neither one of you ever really eat enough, I suppose I can find you some ice cream. But, you have to tell us why you two aren't asleep. "
" You do this a lot, Shani? " Vegeta wondered out loud.
But it was Alta who answered with a thoughtful smile. " We see an awful lot of her Vegeta. She comes down to see us every night while you are gone. Even your training missions… we've learned to keep ice cream on hand, or this poor little thing would probably starve to death. "
" I would not. " Shani growled. " I just… You're my friend, Vegeta. I don't want to think about you being all alone out there! Why does Frieza want to make you hurt people anyway? It's not right to do it just because he happens to be strong enough to get away with it. I know that you are too strong to be hurt on these missions… but I still worry about you. Because while you're here you're the best friend I've ever had and I know you wouldn't do these things if he wasn't making you. Maybe it makes me stupid and weak, but I just know that it hurts me to know that he wants to make you like him. And I know you don't think it will work, but every time you leave and then come back, when you return, the darkness inside of you feels a little bit stronger. I know someday you will have the power and the passion to fight him, but you don't have it yet, and that scares me sometimes. "
Vegeta snorted, then he sighed. Anytime there was sadness in her eyes, it seemed to shoot straight for his heart, but this time he couldn't seem to shrug it off... " I promised Blaze that I would remain honorable, Shani. A true Saiyan would never break his word on such a promise. "
Shani nodded, and she tried to smile, but a tear rolled down her face. " I am never going to forget you, Vegeta. You know that, don't you? "
" What are you talking about? I just got back last week. I can't go on another mission until Napa and Radditz get back, and they just left the day before yesterday. It'll take them at least a month to deal with Callona 17, even with the troops Frieza sent with them. " Vegeta grumbled.
" You aren't leaving. I have to. " Shani whimpered, looking like she wanted to crawl under her ice cream bowl and hide.
Vegeta couldn't deny it; he was stunned. " What? "
" While you were gone Captain Ginyue and Dodoria came to our Physical Training Class and watched. They said… Well, Captain Ginyue said I'm too much of a weakling to stay here. He says I'm holding the rest of the class back. Dodoria just laughed, so, I asked Zarbon what he thought and he said that since Master Gouken… left, that I haven't been learning to focus and control my energy like I was before. I always try really hard to do it the way that Master Genjuro says to, but it just… feels wrong to me, and without Master Gouken here… it feels like I can't do it that way either. Zarbon said I might do better at one of the other two schools, where the focus isn't on physical power… But I don't want to go! I like it here! And… I'm scared. "
" Funny how Ginyue likes to shoot off his big mouth when Zarbon isn't around to remind everybody what an idiot he is. " Vegeta growled, after another bite of his ice cream. " Shani, I don't understand, you do fine when I'm there. What makes them say that you're not figuring it out? "
" W-when you're here it reminds me of how Master Gouken said to do it. And I can watch you. "
" It sounds to me like all you need is practice then, how much have you been practicing outside of class? "
"I-Well, with the play and everything, I've been busy. " She protested. Then she sighed, her silver eyes downcast and shimmering with tears that were threatening to fall. " Frieza said he won't decide about me until he gets back. But you'll probably be gone again by then… I don't want to go. I want to be here, with you. "