Chapter Three



The air was heavy and unmoved, full of the stifling heat of the summer. Even the ocean remained still, tracing a neat line with the sand instead of rolling gently onto it as usual. The clouds suspended in the sky gave no rain although they seemed to promise a nice shower for soon.

Roshi and Oolon were at some Miss Whatever-Country contest, Krilin and C-18 would spend the evening together in some place on the continent, thus leaving their daughter alone in Kame House. The nineteen year old maiden occupied herself as she could, but television offered nothing interesting and there was no way she would go swimming in such conditions as previously described. Therefore, after less than an hour of loneliness, Marron was bored.

She leaned in the door frame, in hope a breeze would blow and refresh her hot flesh. Her blond pigtails hung dully on each side of her head and didn't relieve her neck from the warmth. She was wearing a sleeve-less and white tank top that stuck to her like a second skin, and green shorts that barely covered half of her thighs. She was barefoot and wore no make-up, as usual, but her natural beauty didn't need such artifice.

At least that was the thought of Oob when he landed silently on the small beach, his eyes locked on the beautiful creature that seemed to be waiting him. She was lost in thought, her azure eyes half closed and vague. The young man stepped toward her, still making no sound, lost himself in the contemplation he was free (and so willing) to pursue.

A moment passed like this, Marron thoughtful in the door frame, Oob detailing with his eyes every curve or line, every shadow or spot light, every small points he could see from his observation place. At last, she sighed and gazed toward the ocean, meeting his dark look in the process. After a second of surprise, a beaming smile appeared on her face.

- Oob! Hi!

Comforted by this warm greeting, the youth allowed himself to smile and approached again, coming onto the gallery where she now stood.

- What a heat, she said, wiping sweat from her forehead.
- Yeah.

He didn't know what to add, so he just smiled and tried to not look at her too intently, also hoping the intense warmth inside wasn't obvious to her under the form of a too deep blushing.

- Well... Want to come inside?
- Okay.

Without making the wooden boards of the gallery crack like she, though involuntarily, did as going back inside, he followed her into the house and she led him to the living room, dropping herself onto a large couch where she invited him to sit down. He obeyed quietly.

- Why are you here? she asked, as if it had just hit her that the young man had never came before, except that one visit with Goku.
- Well... I had nothing to do... I'm sorry if I burden you, I...
- Oh no! It's alright, really. I was dying of boredom, to be honest. Everyone is out for the evening.
- And you stay here alone?
- What else? I don't really have friends to go out with.
- I can be your friend!

As soon as the last syllable escaped his lips, Oob regretted his exclamation. He looked at the floor shamefully, now certain she would laugh and ask why she could want of a friend like him. But she smiled gently and put her hand on his muscular shouder, lightly.

- Thanks. I was hoping we could be friends.

He smiled back at her, part of him wondering why his heart was sinking in his chest.

~*~*~

The motorbike was going at its highest speed in the desert, raising walls of sand on its side. Its driver was bending, his long and black hair dancing wildly around his head and a darkly happy smile on his lips. He was back on Earth and even had his favourite vehicle to ride. The wind of freedom slapped his face and his smirk grew wider as he pushed the motor further.

- Eh, C-17... Your hair is... Getting in my face and I think I'm going to... Aah... Aaaahh... ATCHOUM!

Destabilized, the motorbike fell onto one sand, sending its passengers away. The driver quickly got up, uninjured but upset. The other person, a woman of a certain age whose hair had drastically changed of colour when she had sneezed, muttered angrily as brushing the dust off of herself. Then she threw the abundant mass of blond hair behind her shoulder and glared at C-17.

- Where the Hell are we?!

He sighed. This would be long.

As calmly as he could, he recalled the last events; how Kaïo had decided to give him a chance to prove he wasn't really a bad guy to Emna by allowing him to stay on Earth for a day, thanks to Baba's abilities, during which he would cause no harm of any kind. If he was able to do so, he would be allowed to stay in Paradise, where he would find the after-life much more exciting. If not, he would simply go back in Hell with no hope of other chance. And to make sure he would comply to the rules, Kaïo and Emna had decided to send Lunch with him.

The blond fury listened at him without saying a word and, when he was done, burst into laughter as if there was no tomorrow. The cyborg stared at her, both irritated and surprised, waiting for her hilarity to vanish. When it did, she spat onto the ground and stared at him with a fierce smirk.

- So your future depends of what I'll say, huh?
- Whatever. We have things to do and only twenty-four hours to do them. Come on.

He pulled the vehicle back onto its wheels and jumped onto it, but she didn't move, her hands resting on her hips in a challenging attitude.

- What things? she asked.

He sighed. It would be much longer than he thought.


A long moment later, the motorbike rose new walls of sand as its flew through the desert. Its driver was now an ageing woman whose blond head was surmounted by a floating halo that followed her movements. The passenger, wrapping his arms around her with obvious repulsion, also had the same ornament hovering over his head.

- That way I won't have your hair in my face and I won't transform all the time, said Lunch as accelerating.

Though remaining silent, C-17 scowled.

In the green eyes shone the same light that illuminated the cold blue eyes of the cyborg when he was driving, previously.

~*~*~

- ...Hmm mm... Ok. ... Yes dad, I'll be careful. ... Bye, I love you too.

Marron hung up the phone and turned to Oob who was sitting still at the kitchen table.

- They're staying on the continent because of a storm. Dad says it might come up here.
- You stay alone?
- I guess I do.

Although he didn't pronounce another word, the eyes of the youth betrayed his concern. The young woman noticed it but made no comment. A moment of silence followed the call of Krilin, at last broken when Oob rose from his chair.

- I should go. It's late.
- Oh... Alright. Thanks for coming though, it's very nice.

Her smile warmed him up and he couldn't help but smiling back. She led him to the door where they realized the storm was not only coming; it was there already, although only as a heavy rain for the moment. They could hear the thunder rolling, far away, and the dark clouds sometimes seemed brightened, here and there, for a second or two.

Oob considered the conditions he would have to fly in and told himself it was a matter of minutes if he used a greater speed than usual. But when he stepped out of the door frame, resolute to confront the anger of the sky, a pale hand caught his bare-arm.

- You're not going out in such a weather!
- It's nothing, only water.
- And lightning! You could be struck... Stay until the storm's gone!

As saying so her cheeks flushed lightly. Invonluntary, Oob's complexion seemed to darken in the same area.

- I'm not sure if...
- Come on. With dad and mom and Roshi out, there is place enough for you. I wouldn't like to know I let you go out while there was a storm and that a lightning hit you!

He offered no resistance as she pulled him inside again and closed the door to the dark rainy scene. The ocean had awakened from its amorphous slumber of the day and waves seemed to grow bigger and stronger speedily, fed with torrential rain.

Once the door shut, they both looked down at the floor without daring to speak. Finally, Marron broke the uneasy silence.

- We won't stay standing here for the whole evening. Let's go back to the kitchen and... Play cards?
- Alright.

They returned to the kitchen, Oob always following his lovely hostess. He caught himself lowering his eyes a little too much on her and was infinitely relieved that she didn't seem to notice. He stuck his eyes to the ceiling and later on his set of cards. Marron evidently saw he was avoiding looking at her, but didn't dare questioning his attitude, since it allowed her to admire the harmonious features of her young companion.

They played silently, listening to the storm as it intensified with each minute that passed.