(AN: Hehehe. Left you all at a cliffhanger, didn't I? Well, I know the chapter name is odd, but it's from an
Edgar Allen Poe poem that goes like this:
"There are some qualities, some incorporate things,
That have a double life, which thus is made
A type of twin eternity which springs
From matter and light, evinced in solid and shade."
Don't ask. Just don't ask...... *shakes head* I was being weird. Some quotes in this chapter come from
Reboot, an anime that used to be on Toonami. Before they replaced it with Sailor Moon. *sneers* And
Spyri and Rayne's argument actually occurred between one of my friends and me. *blushes* He was
Spyri, and I was Rayne, heh heh heh....... The song I meant in this is called Danny Boy, and it's an old
Irish song. I love Irish stuff- Don't know why I didn't make Rayne Irish, but oh well....... Oh, yeah, I have
darn SOLs....... those pieces of....... *cuts off, growling* Next week I get to do exams! *sarcastically* Oh
joy! Oh rapture! Oh- *is cut off, spotting something odd, then gulps as Jevana dashes up, holding a rotten
tomato in her hand* Eep........ Don't hurt me! It's the leprechaun that made me do it! Instead of burning
things, he tells me to throw rotten tomatoes! It's the LEPRECHAUN! Ahh! *dashes off, Jevana close
behind, and yells over shoulder* Well, enjoy........ ~AC)
Chapter Thirteen: Entwined In Solid And Shade
Nothing happened.
"Well, kuso," said Goten, scowling as his shoulders slumped in rejection. "That sucked, Bulma."
Bulma didn't answer, and Goten looked up. What he saw made his jaw drop open in shock.
"Well, I'll be damned."
His words echoed through the silent room. Another voice, hoarse from disuse and groggy, rang through
the room.
"Goten, what did your mother tell you about cursing?" Without speaking, Goten threw himself at
the figure, who had opened his eyes and sat up in the bed.
"Hey, hey," said Son Goku the First Super Saiya-jinn, groggily patting his son on the back. "No
need to strangle me." Goku looked up to grin cheerfully at the group, though his eyes were still clouded
with sleep. "What'd I miss............." His words trailed off as he fully woke up. He bolted upright, looking
around the room in confusion. "Where am I? I was having the worst dream. I dreamed there were more
androids, and they killed Tien, Chaozu, and Piccolo, and then they killed........." Once more his words
trailed off as his eyes fell upon Bulma and Krillin. "It wasn't a dream." The sentence was a knowing
statement, not a fearful question.
"No," Bulma agreed softly, tears welling up in her eyes of azure. "It wasn't. You've been
unconscious for five years." Goku frowned, darkness creeping in his normally bright eyes.
"Come on, son," he said, easing Goten's death grip. "Everything's going to be all right." Goten
slowly lifted his head from Goku's shoulder, and Bra was shocked to see tears flooding down his face.
"Hey, no need to cry. I'm awake now, Goten." Goku's tone was soothing and understanding. Bra
looked around to see that almost everyone had the glint of tears in their eyes, and that Pan was sobbing
into Trunks's shoulder.
Trunks didn't look too upset about that, Bra noted evilly. Goten released his father, and sat on the
edge of the bed.
"How do you feel, Goku?" Kare asked, breaking a short silence. The man looked anxiously at the
ex-general. Goku grinned, a hint of his former goofiness returning.
"As right as rain, my friend!" he declared.
"Or rather, the opposite of Rayne," murmured Marron, using a play on words, loud enough for
everyone to hear her. Including Goku, whose forehead wrinkled.
"Rayne? Little twelve-year-old Rayne Sirec?" he repeated, looking confused. "What about her?"
Marron snorted in disgust, but Krillin grinned.
"It's a long story, Goku," informed the monk, limping closer to the cot. Goku grinned at his best
friend.
"Krillin! I thought you were dead!" he declared, beaming. Krillin grinned.
"Unfortunately for the androids, I'm alive and kicking..... er, limping," he declared, shrugging.
Goku laughed, though it was obvious that Krillin had aged in the twenty years since the beginning of the
Androids' Invasion. Of course, humans aged faster than Saiya-jinn. While Goku's hair was perfectly black,
Krillin's was completely white.
"So, it's a long story? Well, then I guess we'll just have to take a long time," Goku announced,
motioning for everyone to sit around his bed. Krillin looked uncertainly towards Bulma. They exchanged a
silent communication, and Bulma nodded.
"Since I haven't missed anything," she said, "I'll take it from the Sirec Massacre 'til Rayne woke
the Sleepers, and then they can continue........"
"The Sirec Massacre?" repeated Goku, frowning. "That doesn't sound good."
"Oh, it isn't," Puar mumbled dryly, as Kare and Marron sighed.
Bulma sighed also, and began the tale.
****************************************************************************************************************
This stalking thing was kind of fun, Spyri decided gleefully as he followed Rayne from her wing.
Yes, her wing. Bulma had reserved a small corridor of four large bedrooms for Willis and Rayne's family.
Rayne slept in one, Willis had slept in one, the younger boys had slept in the third one, and the girls had
slept in the last one. He noticed Rayne's face was slightly red and puffy, and frowned. He was determined
to find out how she had figured out about Willis's death. His thoughts were interrupted by the crackling of
his radio that he kept in his pocket. Yanking it out, he pressed the radio to his ear.
"What?" he demanded.
"Hey, Spyri! Listen, mate, d'you know where Miss Rayne might be? The doc's asking 'round."
Spyri grinned.
"Yes, I'm just about to talk to her. Where's Doctor Bulma, O'Malley?" he asked. The Australian
paused, and there was a note of surprise and confusion in his words as he answered.
"She's in General Son Goku's hospital room, mate. I'll tell 'er that yer gettin' Miss Rayne." The
radio crackled, and was silent. Spyri blinked in bewilderment. Why did the doctor need Rayne in the
general's room? He shrugged. Oh well. He'd soon find out.
"Miss Rayne!" he called after her, jogging to catch up.
****************************************************************************************************************
Rayne turned around, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Yes, Spyri?" she asked, immediately realizing who was hailing her. Spyri trotted up to her, his
face looking slightly confused.
"Miss Rayne, you're needed at the general's hospital room," he said, shaking his blond-maned
head. "Doctor Bulma awaits." Rayne raised an eyebrow, and pursed her lips. If the doctor called, it must
be important.
"Do you want to come along?" she questioned, noticing the curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Spyri
grinned hopefully.
"Yes. My curiosity is killing me," he admitted. Rayne managed to laugh and wink at him.
"Well, you know what they say," she teased, "curiosity killed the cat." Spyri blinked, and looked
blankly back at her.
"Huh?" Rayne sighed, shaking her head.
"Never mind," she said, grinning. "It's an American thing."
"Oh!" declared Spyri, shrugging sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm Swiss." He puffed his chest out proudly.
"But Swiss are the best."
"Yeah, the Swiss make the best chocolate," Rayne agreed, a faraway look in her eyes. Now it
was Spyri's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"That's Belgium," he corrected. "Belgium chocolate." Rayne blinked sheepishly, and tugged on a
lock of hair, chuckling.
"Right," she replied. "I knew that."
"Sure you did."
"Indeed."
"Indeedy."
"That isn't a word!"
"I made it up!"
"You can't make up words!"
"Can too!"
"Can not........." Their argument was like that the entire way to Son Goku's hospital room.
****************************************************************************************************************
Goku listened patiently to Bulma's words, his eyebrows knotted together. Once she had finished, he
gingerly stood, and began to pace.
"This isn't good," he murmured under his breath, uncharacteristically somber. "This isn't good at
all. We have to find Dende and-" Momentarily exhausted by the sudden movement after five years, his
muscles gave out, and he half-sank, half-crumpled towards the ground.
"Goku!" Krillin cried, leaping forward to help him. The monk grabbed at Goku's arm, and pushed
him onto the bed. "Looks like Bulma and I aren't the only old-timers in the room."
"Old-timer?" Bulma snapped, her azure eyes flashing. The monk looked up to find his friend
glaring daggers at him, her arms crossed across her chest. "Please rethink your words, Krillin, or you
may not have any white hairs to prove your age." Krillin gulped.
"Er, Goku, looks like I'm not the only old-timer in the room," he said quickly. Wincing at the pain
in his legs, Goku managed to laugh.
"That was smart, Krillin," he teased, then winced as his leg muscles began to spasm.
"Otou, you all right?" Gohan asked anxiously, leaning over the bed towards his father.
"I'm okay," said Goku through gritted teeth. Bulma shook her head, sending silver everywhere.
"Oh, don't be a liar, Goku," she snapped, and knelt beside Goku. "I'll get rid of the cramps for
you." As everyone watched in amazement, the scientist began to massage Goku from the knees down.
When she noticed everyone staring at her, she smiled.
"Come on. I'm not just a genius. I do know how to do things other than building ki detectors and
such," she said, her lips curving a smile.
"Really?" said Goten, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Shut up," Bra said automatically, and Goten hung his head.
****************************************************************************************************************
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not, you silly oaf- Ow!" Spyri grabbed his head, and glared at Rayne reproachfully.
"You hit me!" he said, his eyes narrowing. The accused quickly hid her hand behind her back,
widening her eyes in innocence.
"Hit you? Never!" she shot back, indignant. With a growl, Spyri lunged at her. Rayne laughed and
leapt away, turning to bolt down the corridors, the Swiss close behind. The two raced down the halls,
dodging people who watched them go, smiling. Rayne turned the corner, and craned her head around to
smirk at the Swiss. She Who Cries called one last thing before she resumed to simply running.
"These is chocolate made in Switzerland!"
****************************************************************************************************************
Trunks was watching Goten hang his head when he was suddenly jerked out of the room by his shirt.
"Hey!" he yelped, before turning to glare at whoever had grabbed him.
"Sorry," Pan quickly apologized, and Trunks quickly relaxed. Then the lavender-haired young man
noticed the darkness in her eyes, and frowned.
"Is something wrong, Pan-chan?" he questioned. Pan looked down at the floor for a long moment,
her dark hair slipping to hide her face.
"Why is Grandfather Goku so weak? I mean, we weren't effected by twenty years, but he was
effected like that for only five!" Trunks frowned, and gently rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Probably because we were cryogenically frozen, which meant we were frozen completely, with
even our brains being shut down and our blood not being replaced. I guess you could saying we were the
living dead for twenty years. If we were dead, then we didn't need protein or minerals to support us, so our
muscles didn't dissolve to help us survive. That means we had our muscles when we were unfrozen. But
with your grandfather, he had only an IV to survive, and slowly his muscles disintegrated to be absorbed
into his blood stream to keep his comatose form healthy. So he lost most of his muscles while asleep,
and that's why he's so weak," Trunks finished, slightly pleased with his answer. School hadn't been a
waste, after all.
Pan sniffled, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"So he'll be okay?" she said, and looked up, her soulful dark eyes latching onto his blue ones.
Trunks smiled gently.
"Of course he will. He's Son Goku," he mildly teased, wrapping a friendly arm around her
shoulder. "Now, let's see how your grandfather's doing." Together, the two part Saiya-jinn entered the
room.
****************************************************************************************************************
Spyri leaned against the wall, glaring at Rayne as he gasped for breath.
"You know, for a guerrilla, you are totally out of shape," she informed him cheerfully. Spyri made
a face and suggested that she had done something very unlikely with a frog. Rayne grinned
mischievously.
"Yeah, and you did the same with a slug," she said, and turned to walk down the corridor to
where General Goku's room was. Spyri followed, panting, behind.
"Doctor, would you please tell Spyri that Swiss do make chocolate?" Rayne asked as she
peered into the room. The large huddle around the general's bed prevented her from seeing what they were
doing to him. Bulma smiled.
"Yes, there is excellent chocolate made in Switzerland," she informed the girl.
"See!" Rayne said triumphantly, wheeling around to face the lieutenant. "And you say you're from
Switzerland." Spyri peered inside to glare at the girl. He opened his mouth to argue, but instead froze, his
jaw nearly to the ground. Curious, Rayne turned around. The mass of bodies had moved, and now Rayne
could see the bed clearly. The bed where Son Goku sat, goofily grinning.
[I thought I'd leave you all there, then I thought..... Nah. I have a better cliffhanger.... heh heh
heh. ~AC]
"Hi Rayne!" he said cheerfully. Rayne opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She repeated
that several times until Spyri came to her aid.
"Good afternoon, or morning, sir!" he said, standing at attention and saluting the general sharply.
Rayne watched him, and grinned.
"I can do that better than you, dear Swiss," she declared, and repeated his movements.
Within five seconds she lay sprawled on the floor, cursing in German and holding her aching hand and
forehead. Everyone laughed, not understanding her words, as Spyri helped her to her feet, chuckling.
"You sure showed me, Miss Rayne," he said, smirking. Rayne rolled her eyes, smiling sweetly
as she punched him in the gut. But she forgot about her broken arm. Even as Spyri doubled over, Rayne
hissed in pain and grabbed her arm.
"Kuso!" Spyri and Rayne growled at the same time.
"Now I see why women slap instead of punch," Rayne groaned as Spyri gasped, "I get out of the
battle without a scratch, and you wind me in one blow!" The two slowly got to their feet.
"Maybe you should get that arm checked out, Rayne," Bulma suggested, eyeing the wincing girl.
"Goku can talk to you later."
"Yes, ma'am," Rayne said, nodding towards her. "Nice to see you awake, sir." She carefully
saluted Goku, managing to not knock herself silly. She grinned at Goten and the other three. "See you all
later. Maybe the doctor will enroll you in school!" Without another word, Rayne Sirec hurried from the
room.
"May I leave too, General?" Spyri asked, grinning. "I need to talk to my wife, and show her I'm not
dead so she won't jump in bed with Troyon or O'Malley." He paused, making a face. "Well, O'Malley
wouldn't go after her, what with him dating that Swedish beauty and all, but Troyon definitely would, the
b-"
"Of course, you can, Lieutenant," Bulma said, smoothly interrupting Spyri's words as Pan and
Bra giggled. Spyri grinned, saluted them all sharply, and dashed out.
"Well," Goku said, sounding satisfied, "now I'll be seeing you all later. Maybe after dinner, maybe
later."
"What? Otou, what do you-" Gohan stopped dead, staring in shock as his father pressed his
fingers to his forehead and disappeared. "Otou-san!" Bulma sighed, and took Gohan by the shoulder.
"I think Goku has some matters to discuss with Dende, wherever he is," she said.
"Yeah!" Goten said, suddenly frowning. "Where has Dende been all these years? I mean, he is
God and all that! He should be helping us out." Bulma sighed, and bowed her head to hide her shadowed
eyes.
"One of the first things the androids did was destroy Kami's Lookout. Goku found Mr. Popo in his
garden, and Dende hasn't been seen since," she said quietly, and Krillin bowed his head also.
"Found Mr. Popo?" squeaked Pan, her eyes wide. Gohan sighed, and nodded to answer Pan's
silent question.
"Yes. Mr. Popo has been dead for almost twenty years."
****************************************************************************************************************
Goku reappeared with a quiet pop, landing softly on the dusty tiled ground. He peered around, noticing
with dismay that the garden that Mr. Popo had kept perfect for so many years now lay ruined, choked by
weeds. Then he noticed the small figure bent over one part of the garden, stubbornly yanking the weeds
from the earth, and his heart skipped a beat. Goku cleared his throat, and the small figure spun around.
Frightened dark eyes met Goku's equally dark ones. Goku smiled, his lips twisted with both bitterness
and hope.
"Hello Dende," he said softly to the Kami of Earth.
****************************************************************************************************************
"Gohan, Rayne teaches Ikara and Krill to sing and about history, correct?" Bulma asked, once
Krillin, Kare, and Marron had made their quiet good-byes and Krillin had left to meet his grandchildren.
Gohan nodded, looking slightly puzzled. Then realization struck, and he began to smirk. Goten watched
Bra's mother and his brother grin evilly as each other, then he realized what they were planning.
"No!" he said defiantly. "Trunks and I graduated college already, thank you very much!" Bulma
and Gohan turned their smirks upon the four. Trunks gulped, but sided with Goten.
"I'm not going to a kiddy school," he said, frowning determinedly, and crossing his arms across
his chest as Bra and Pan laughed.
****************************************************************************************************************
"I can't believe I'm in a kiddy school," Trunks muttered, and a little ten-year-old girl shushed him.
"Miz Rayne, Miz Rayne!" Rayne smiled at the little boy who had raised his hand. The other
children, all aged from six to eighteen (well, now twenty-six), watched the exchange with interest.
"Yes, Mister Jeffrey?" she asked the seven-year-old. The boy grinned, showing his two missing
front teeth.
"It's time for singing!" he declared, and many of the children cheered. Rayne grinned, and nodded.
"I believe you're right. Thank you, Mister Jeffrey," she said, glancing at the clock. "Now, everyone,
remember, our four new students are very new to this sort of thing so-" a hint of a smile danced across
her lips "-try not to tease them too much."
"Hey! That wasn't very nice, R- Ojousan Rayne!" Goten protested from the back of the room.
Rayne pretended to glare at him as the little children giggled.
"Mister Goten," she began coolly. "For the last time, raise your hand if you wish to speak."
"Sorry-" Goten began, then paused, frowning. Sheepishly, he raised his hand as Rayne sighed.
"Yes, Mister Goten?" she questioned.
"I apologize, Ojousan Rayne," he said, grinning wickedly. "Now, what sort of songs do we get to
sing?" Rayne smiled.
"Well, first we have to warm up. Right, children?" she questioned. Accented voices in different
languages rang out from all corners of the room.
"Yes, Miz Rayne!"
"Hai, Ojousan Rayne! Yes, Miss Rayne!"
"Si, Senorita Rayne! Yes, Miss Rayne!"
"Yes, ma'am, Miss Rayne!"
Rayne grinned, and raised her good hand, instantly silencing the children. Rayne's other arm lay resting
in a white sling across her chest. The metal-walled room grew as silent as a tomb as the children went
mute. The only exit to the room was closed, barring any exit.
"Begin." There was the sound of many voices taking a deep breath all at once, then over fifty
young voices rang out.
"Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do!"
Rayne smiled, clapping once the last note has finished echoing.
"Bravo! Well, done!" The children grinned, pleased with themselves. "And now, let's sing one of
my favorite songs. Can you guess which one that is?"
"Oooh!" a voice cried as a hand shot into the air. "Ojousan Rayne! It's Danny Boy isn't it?" Rayne
smiled at the blond-haired girl.
"Very good, Miss Ikara," she said approvingly. "You know me rather well." Ikara beamed as
Rayne raised her hand.
"And a one, and a two........" The children's voice began softly, their words filled with such forlorn
that Pan felt sudden tears spring to her eyes.
"Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes... the pipes are calling,
From glen to glen and down the mountain side.
The summer is gone and all the leaves are falling,
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back, when summer's in the meadow,
and all the valley's hushed and white with snow.
It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,
Oh, Danny Boy, Oh, Danny Boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying
And if I be dead, as dead I well may be.
Then come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be.
If you shall bend, and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me..........."
The children's voices trailed off, leaving Pan feeling oddly wistful. The thick silence was abruptly broken by
someone clapping. The entire group whirled to face the door, where two figures stood.
"That was beautiful, Rayne. But I didn't hear you singing," Goku commented, grinning cheerfully.
Rayne shrugged, smiling slightly sadly.
"I usually sing a duet," she said softly, "and Terry was the only one who could sing with me."
Goku nodded, still smiling, but his eyes were understanding.
"Did you find Dende, Otou?" Goten questioned, peering at the figure beside his father.
Unfortunately, the figure was hidden by shadows, and Goten couldn't see his face. Goku smiled.
"Yes, but he decided that he'd rather stay on Kami's Lookout for a little while longer," the
Saiya-jinn informed them. Trunks frowned.
"Then who's the person with you?" the lavender-haired youth questioned. Goku's grin widened,
and he motioned the figure forward. The figure stepped hesitantly into the light, and all the girls over twelve
(including Pan and Bra) immediately swooned.
The man was human, and extremely cute. His long hair, tied in a pony tail, shimmered lilac in the room's
light. His lips were curved in a nervous smile, but his bright blue eyes were locked onto the four oldest
students in the back. He wore baggy black jeans, with a matching T-shirt, his arms covered by a dark
blue jacket, which had a patch on it reading Capsule Corporation. The man wasn't exactly young, the
slightly marks on his face making him out to be around thirty or so. Across his back was a scabbard, its
strap hidden underneath his jaket. The scabbard held a gleaming sword.
As if totally aware of all the eyes upon him, the man grinned self-consciously.
"Hello," Rayne said, recovering. "Welcome to Capsule Corporation School. I'm Rayne Sirec, the
singing and history teacher. Who are you, if I may ask?"
The man hesitated, and after locking eyes with Goku for a long moment, slowly grinned. He extended a
hand towards Rayne. As she excepted it, he looked back towards the four in the back.
"Call me........" A wry smile flickered on his lips as he continued. "Call me...... Mirai."
(AN: Okay, that's my version of why Bra, Pan, Goten, and Pan were perfectly fine after being
cryogenically frozen for twenty years. Fine meaning that they still had their muscles and weren't
exhausted, only stiff. And why they didn't grow older. Sorry if his explanation isn't scientific. I'm not
exactly in chemistry or anything. Or any interesting stuff like that. I get to study the periodic table, fun fun!
*smiles sarcastically* Everyone loves the elements, don't we children? Well, enough of my complaining.
I'll give you the next chapter as soon as possible. I hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger. Can you guess who
the new guy is? *grins evilly* Anyone have any ideas for the next chapter? That's page 60! Ja! ~AC)
Edgar Allen Poe poem that goes like this:
"There are some qualities, some incorporate things,
That have a double life, which thus is made
A type of twin eternity which springs
From matter and light, evinced in solid and shade."
Don't ask. Just don't ask...... *shakes head* I was being weird. Some quotes in this chapter come from
Reboot, an anime that used to be on Toonami. Before they replaced it with Sailor Moon. *sneers* And
Spyri and Rayne's argument actually occurred between one of my friends and me. *blushes* He was
Spyri, and I was Rayne, heh heh heh....... The song I meant in this is called Danny Boy, and it's an old
Irish song. I love Irish stuff- Don't know why I didn't make Rayne Irish, but oh well....... Oh, yeah, I have
darn SOLs....... those pieces of....... *cuts off, growling* Next week I get to do exams! *sarcastically* Oh
joy! Oh rapture! Oh- *is cut off, spotting something odd, then gulps as Jevana dashes up, holding a rotten
tomato in her hand* Eep........ Don't hurt me! It's the leprechaun that made me do it! Instead of burning
things, he tells me to throw rotten tomatoes! It's the LEPRECHAUN! Ahh! *dashes off, Jevana close
behind, and yells over shoulder* Well, enjoy........ ~AC)
Chapter Thirteen: Entwined In Solid And Shade
Nothing happened.
"Well, kuso," said Goten, scowling as his shoulders slumped in rejection. "That sucked, Bulma."
Bulma didn't answer, and Goten looked up. What he saw made his jaw drop open in shock.
"Well, I'll be damned."
His words echoed through the silent room. Another voice, hoarse from disuse and groggy, rang through
the room.
"Goten, what did your mother tell you about cursing?" Without speaking, Goten threw himself at
the figure, who had opened his eyes and sat up in the bed.
"Hey, hey," said Son Goku the First Super Saiya-jinn, groggily patting his son on the back. "No
need to strangle me." Goku looked up to grin cheerfully at the group, though his eyes were still clouded
with sleep. "What'd I miss............." His words trailed off as he fully woke up. He bolted upright, looking
around the room in confusion. "Where am I? I was having the worst dream. I dreamed there were more
androids, and they killed Tien, Chaozu, and Piccolo, and then they killed........." Once more his words
trailed off as his eyes fell upon Bulma and Krillin. "It wasn't a dream." The sentence was a knowing
statement, not a fearful question.
"No," Bulma agreed softly, tears welling up in her eyes of azure. "It wasn't. You've been
unconscious for five years." Goku frowned, darkness creeping in his normally bright eyes.
"Come on, son," he said, easing Goten's death grip. "Everything's going to be all right." Goten
slowly lifted his head from Goku's shoulder, and Bra was shocked to see tears flooding down his face.
"Hey, no need to cry. I'm awake now, Goten." Goku's tone was soothing and understanding. Bra
looked around to see that almost everyone had the glint of tears in their eyes, and that Pan was sobbing
into Trunks's shoulder.
Trunks didn't look too upset about that, Bra noted evilly. Goten released his father, and sat on the
edge of the bed.
"How do you feel, Goku?" Kare asked, breaking a short silence. The man looked anxiously at the
ex-general. Goku grinned, a hint of his former goofiness returning.
"As right as rain, my friend!" he declared.
"Or rather, the opposite of Rayne," murmured Marron, using a play on words, loud enough for
everyone to hear her. Including Goku, whose forehead wrinkled.
"Rayne? Little twelve-year-old Rayne Sirec?" he repeated, looking confused. "What about her?"
Marron snorted in disgust, but Krillin grinned.
"It's a long story, Goku," informed the monk, limping closer to the cot. Goku grinned at his best
friend.
"Krillin! I thought you were dead!" he declared, beaming. Krillin grinned.
"Unfortunately for the androids, I'm alive and kicking..... er, limping," he declared, shrugging.
Goku laughed, though it was obvious that Krillin had aged in the twenty years since the beginning of the
Androids' Invasion. Of course, humans aged faster than Saiya-jinn. While Goku's hair was perfectly black,
Krillin's was completely white.
"So, it's a long story? Well, then I guess we'll just have to take a long time," Goku announced,
motioning for everyone to sit around his bed. Krillin looked uncertainly towards Bulma. They exchanged a
silent communication, and Bulma nodded.
"Since I haven't missed anything," she said, "I'll take it from the Sirec Massacre 'til Rayne woke
the Sleepers, and then they can continue........"
"The Sirec Massacre?" repeated Goku, frowning. "That doesn't sound good."
"Oh, it isn't," Puar mumbled dryly, as Kare and Marron sighed.
Bulma sighed also, and began the tale.
****************************************************************************************************************
This stalking thing was kind of fun, Spyri decided gleefully as he followed Rayne from her wing.
Yes, her wing. Bulma had reserved a small corridor of four large bedrooms for Willis and Rayne's family.
Rayne slept in one, Willis had slept in one, the younger boys had slept in the third one, and the girls had
slept in the last one. He noticed Rayne's face was slightly red and puffy, and frowned. He was determined
to find out how she had figured out about Willis's death. His thoughts were interrupted by the crackling of
his radio that he kept in his pocket. Yanking it out, he pressed the radio to his ear.
"What?" he demanded.
"Hey, Spyri! Listen, mate, d'you know where Miss Rayne might be? The doc's asking 'round."
Spyri grinned.
"Yes, I'm just about to talk to her. Where's Doctor Bulma, O'Malley?" he asked. The Australian
paused, and there was a note of surprise and confusion in his words as he answered.
"She's in General Son Goku's hospital room, mate. I'll tell 'er that yer gettin' Miss Rayne." The
radio crackled, and was silent. Spyri blinked in bewilderment. Why did the doctor need Rayne in the
general's room? He shrugged. Oh well. He'd soon find out.
"Miss Rayne!" he called after her, jogging to catch up.
****************************************************************************************************************
Rayne turned around, hastily wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Yes, Spyri?" she asked, immediately realizing who was hailing her. Spyri trotted up to her, his
face looking slightly confused.
"Miss Rayne, you're needed at the general's hospital room," he said, shaking his blond-maned
head. "Doctor Bulma awaits." Rayne raised an eyebrow, and pursed her lips. If the doctor called, it must
be important.
"Do you want to come along?" she questioned, noticing the curiosity gleaming in his eyes. Spyri
grinned hopefully.
"Yes. My curiosity is killing me," he admitted. Rayne managed to laugh and wink at him.
"Well, you know what they say," she teased, "curiosity killed the cat." Spyri blinked, and looked
blankly back at her.
"Huh?" Rayne sighed, shaking her head.
"Never mind," she said, grinning. "It's an American thing."
"Oh!" declared Spyri, shrugging sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm Swiss." He puffed his chest out proudly.
"But Swiss are the best."
"Yeah, the Swiss make the best chocolate," Rayne agreed, a faraway look in her eyes. Now it
was Spyri's turn to raise an eyebrow.
"That's Belgium," he corrected. "Belgium chocolate." Rayne blinked sheepishly, and tugged on a
lock of hair, chuckling.
"Right," she replied. "I knew that."
"Sure you did."
"Indeed."
"Indeedy."
"That isn't a word!"
"I made it up!"
"You can't make up words!"
"Can too!"
"Can not........." Their argument was like that the entire way to Son Goku's hospital room.
****************************************************************************************************************
Goku listened patiently to Bulma's words, his eyebrows knotted together. Once she had finished, he
gingerly stood, and began to pace.
"This isn't good," he murmured under his breath, uncharacteristically somber. "This isn't good at
all. We have to find Dende and-" Momentarily exhausted by the sudden movement after five years, his
muscles gave out, and he half-sank, half-crumpled towards the ground.
"Goku!" Krillin cried, leaping forward to help him. The monk grabbed at Goku's arm, and pushed
him onto the bed. "Looks like Bulma and I aren't the only old-timers in the room."
"Old-timer?" Bulma snapped, her azure eyes flashing. The monk looked up to find his friend
glaring daggers at him, her arms crossed across her chest. "Please rethink your words, Krillin, or you
may not have any white hairs to prove your age." Krillin gulped.
"Er, Goku, looks like I'm not the only old-timer in the room," he said quickly. Wincing at the pain
in his legs, Goku managed to laugh.
"That was smart, Krillin," he teased, then winced as his leg muscles began to spasm.
"Otou, you all right?" Gohan asked anxiously, leaning over the bed towards his father.
"I'm okay," said Goku through gritted teeth. Bulma shook her head, sending silver everywhere.
"Oh, don't be a liar, Goku," she snapped, and knelt beside Goku. "I'll get rid of the cramps for
you." As everyone watched in amazement, the scientist began to massage Goku from the knees down.
When she noticed everyone staring at her, she smiled.
"Come on. I'm not just a genius. I do know how to do things other than building ki detectors and
such," she said, her lips curving a smile.
"Really?" said Goten, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Shut up," Bra said automatically, and Goten hung his head.
****************************************************************************************************************
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not!"
"Can too!"
"Can not, you silly oaf- Ow!" Spyri grabbed his head, and glared at Rayne reproachfully.
"You hit me!" he said, his eyes narrowing. The accused quickly hid her hand behind her back,
widening her eyes in innocence.
"Hit you? Never!" she shot back, indignant. With a growl, Spyri lunged at her. Rayne laughed and
leapt away, turning to bolt down the corridors, the Swiss close behind. The two raced down the halls,
dodging people who watched them go, smiling. Rayne turned the corner, and craned her head around to
smirk at the Swiss. She Who Cries called one last thing before she resumed to simply running.
"These is chocolate made in Switzerland!"
****************************************************************************************************************
Trunks was watching Goten hang his head when he was suddenly jerked out of the room by his shirt.
"Hey!" he yelped, before turning to glare at whoever had grabbed him.
"Sorry," Pan quickly apologized, and Trunks quickly relaxed. Then the lavender-haired young man
noticed the darkness in her eyes, and frowned.
"Is something wrong, Pan-chan?" he questioned. Pan looked down at the floor for a long moment,
her dark hair slipping to hide her face.
"Why is Grandfather Goku so weak? I mean, we weren't effected by twenty years, but he was
effected like that for only five!" Trunks frowned, and gently rested his hand on her shoulder.
"Probably because we were cryogenically frozen, which meant we were frozen completely, with
even our brains being shut down and our blood not being replaced. I guess you could saying we were the
living dead for twenty years. If we were dead, then we didn't need protein or minerals to support us, so our
muscles didn't dissolve to help us survive. That means we had our muscles when we were unfrozen. But
with your grandfather, he had only an IV to survive, and slowly his muscles disintegrated to be absorbed
into his blood stream to keep his comatose form healthy. So he lost most of his muscles while asleep,
and that's why he's so weak," Trunks finished, slightly pleased with his answer. School hadn't been a
waste, after all.
Pan sniffled, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath.
"So he'll be okay?" she said, and looked up, her soulful dark eyes latching onto his blue ones.
Trunks smiled gently.
"Of course he will. He's Son Goku," he mildly teased, wrapping a friendly arm around her
shoulder. "Now, let's see how your grandfather's doing." Together, the two part Saiya-jinn entered the
room.
****************************************************************************************************************
Spyri leaned against the wall, glaring at Rayne as he gasped for breath.
"You know, for a guerrilla, you are totally out of shape," she informed him cheerfully. Spyri made
a face and suggested that she had done something very unlikely with a frog. Rayne grinned
mischievously.
"Yeah, and you did the same with a slug," she said, and turned to walk down the corridor to
where General Goku's room was. Spyri followed, panting, behind.
"Doctor, would you please tell Spyri that Swiss do make chocolate?" Rayne asked as she
peered into the room. The large huddle around the general's bed prevented her from seeing what they were
doing to him. Bulma smiled.
"Yes, there is excellent chocolate made in Switzerland," she informed the girl.
"See!" Rayne said triumphantly, wheeling around to face the lieutenant. "And you say you're from
Switzerland." Spyri peered inside to glare at the girl. He opened his mouth to argue, but instead froze, his
jaw nearly to the ground. Curious, Rayne turned around. The mass of bodies had moved, and now Rayne
could see the bed clearly. The bed where Son Goku sat, goofily grinning.
[I thought I'd leave you all there, then I thought..... Nah. I have a better cliffhanger.... heh heh
heh. ~AC]
"Hi Rayne!" he said cheerfully. Rayne opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She repeated
that several times until Spyri came to her aid.
"Good afternoon, or morning, sir!" he said, standing at attention and saluting the general sharply.
Rayne watched him, and grinned.
"I can do that better than you, dear Swiss," she declared, and repeated his movements.
Within five seconds she lay sprawled on the floor, cursing in German and holding her aching hand and
forehead. Everyone laughed, not understanding her words, as Spyri helped her to her feet, chuckling.
"You sure showed me, Miss Rayne," he said, smirking. Rayne rolled her eyes, smiling sweetly
as she punched him in the gut. But she forgot about her broken arm. Even as Spyri doubled over, Rayne
hissed in pain and grabbed her arm.
"Kuso!" Spyri and Rayne growled at the same time.
"Now I see why women slap instead of punch," Rayne groaned as Spyri gasped, "I get out of the
battle without a scratch, and you wind me in one blow!" The two slowly got to their feet.
"Maybe you should get that arm checked out, Rayne," Bulma suggested, eyeing the wincing girl.
"Goku can talk to you later."
"Yes, ma'am," Rayne said, nodding towards her. "Nice to see you awake, sir." She carefully
saluted Goku, managing to not knock herself silly. She grinned at Goten and the other three. "See you all
later. Maybe the doctor will enroll you in school!" Without another word, Rayne Sirec hurried from the
room.
"May I leave too, General?" Spyri asked, grinning. "I need to talk to my wife, and show her I'm not
dead so she won't jump in bed with Troyon or O'Malley." He paused, making a face. "Well, O'Malley
wouldn't go after her, what with him dating that Swedish beauty and all, but Troyon definitely would, the
b-"
"Of course, you can, Lieutenant," Bulma said, smoothly interrupting Spyri's words as Pan and
Bra giggled. Spyri grinned, saluted them all sharply, and dashed out.
"Well," Goku said, sounding satisfied, "now I'll be seeing you all later. Maybe after dinner, maybe
later."
"What? Otou, what do you-" Gohan stopped dead, staring in shock as his father pressed his
fingers to his forehead and disappeared. "Otou-san!" Bulma sighed, and took Gohan by the shoulder.
"I think Goku has some matters to discuss with Dende, wherever he is," she said.
"Yeah!" Goten said, suddenly frowning. "Where has Dende been all these years? I mean, he is
God and all that! He should be helping us out." Bulma sighed, and bowed her head to hide her shadowed
eyes.
"One of the first things the androids did was destroy Kami's Lookout. Goku found Mr. Popo in his
garden, and Dende hasn't been seen since," she said quietly, and Krillin bowed his head also.
"Found Mr. Popo?" squeaked Pan, her eyes wide. Gohan sighed, and nodded to answer Pan's
silent question.
"Yes. Mr. Popo has been dead for almost twenty years."
****************************************************************************************************************
Goku reappeared with a quiet pop, landing softly on the dusty tiled ground. He peered around, noticing
with dismay that the garden that Mr. Popo had kept perfect for so many years now lay ruined, choked by
weeds. Then he noticed the small figure bent over one part of the garden, stubbornly yanking the weeds
from the earth, and his heart skipped a beat. Goku cleared his throat, and the small figure spun around.
Frightened dark eyes met Goku's equally dark ones. Goku smiled, his lips twisted with both bitterness
and hope.
"Hello Dende," he said softly to the Kami of Earth.
****************************************************************************************************************
"Gohan, Rayne teaches Ikara and Krill to sing and about history, correct?" Bulma asked, once
Krillin, Kare, and Marron had made their quiet good-byes and Krillin had left to meet his grandchildren.
Gohan nodded, looking slightly puzzled. Then realization struck, and he began to smirk. Goten watched
Bra's mother and his brother grin evilly as each other, then he realized what they were planning.
"No!" he said defiantly. "Trunks and I graduated college already, thank you very much!" Bulma
and Gohan turned their smirks upon the four. Trunks gulped, but sided with Goten.
"I'm not going to a kiddy school," he said, frowning determinedly, and crossing his arms across
his chest as Bra and Pan laughed.
****************************************************************************************************************
"I can't believe I'm in a kiddy school," Trunks muttered, and a little ten-year-old girl shushed him.
"Miz Rayne, Miz Rayne!" Rayne smiled at the little boy who had raised his hand. The other
children, all aged from six to eighteen (well, now twenty-six), watched the exchange with interest.
"Yes, Mister Jeffrey?" she asked the seven-year-old. The boy grinned, showing his two missing
front teeth.
"It's time for singing!" he declared, and many of the children cheered. Rayne grinned, and nodded.
"I believe you're right. Thank you, Mister Jeffrey," she said, glancing at the clock. "Now, everyone,
remember, our four new students are very new to this sort of thing so-" a hint of a smile danced across
her lips "-try not to tease them too much."
"Hey! That wasn't very nice, R- Ojousan Rayne!" Goten protested from the back of the room.
Rayne pretended to glare at him as the little children giggled.
"Mister Goten," she began coolly. "For the last time, raise your hand if you wish to speak."
"Sorry-" Goten began, then paused, frowning. Sheepishly, he raised his hand as Rayne sighed.
"Yes, Mister Goten?" she questioned.
"I apologize, Ojousan Rayne," he said, grinning wickedly. "Now, what sort of songs do we get to
sing?" Rayne smiled.
"Well, first we have to warm up. Right, children?" she questioned. Accented voices in different
languages rang out from all corners of the room.
"Yes, Miz Rayne!"
"Hai, Ojousan Rayne! Yes, Miss Rayne!"
"Si, Senorita Rayne! Yes, Miss Rayne!"
"Yes, ma'am, Miss Rayne!"
Rayne grinned, and raised her good hand, instantly silencing the children. Rayne's other arm lay resting
in a white sling across her chest. The metal-walled room grew as silent as a tomb as the children went
mute. The only exit to the room was closed, barring any exit.
"Begin." There was the sound of many voices taking a deep breath all at once, then over fifty
young voices rang out.
"Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do!"
Rayne smiled, clapping once the last note has finished echoing.
"Bravo! Well, done!" The children grinned, pleased with themselves. "And now, let's sing one of
my favorite songs. Can you guess which one that is?"
"Oooh!" a voice cried as a hand shot into the air. "Ojousan Rayne! It's Danny Boy isn't it?" Rayne
smiled at the blond-haired girl.
"Very good, Miss Ikara," she said approvingly. "You know me rather well." Ikara beamed as
Rayne raised her hand.
"And a one, and a two........" The children's voice began softly, their words filled with such forlorn
that Pan felt sudden tears spring to her eyes.
"Oh, Danny Boy, the pipes... the pipes are calling,
From glen to glen and down the mountain side.
The summer is gone and all the leaves are falling,
It's you, it's you must go and I must bide.
But come ye back, when summer's in the meadow,
and all the valley's hushed and white with snow.
It's I'll be here in sunshine or in shadow,
Oh, Danny Boy, Oh, Danny Boy, I love you so!
But when ye come, and all the flowers are dying
And if I be dead, as dead I well may be.
Then come and find the place where I am lying,
And kneel and say an Ave there for me.
And I shall hear, though soft you tread above me,
And all my grave will warmer, sweeter be.
If you shall bend, and tell me that you love me,
And I shall sleep in peace until you come to me..........."
The children's voices trailed off, leaving Pan feeling oddly wistful. The thick silence was abruptly broken by
someone clapping. The entire group whirled to face the door, where two figures stood.
"That was beautiful, Rayne. But I didn't hear you singing," Goku commented, grinning cheerfully.
Rayne shrugged, smiling slightly sadly.
"I usually sing a duet," she said softly, "and Terry was the only one who could sing with me."
Goku nodded, still smiling, but his eyes were understanding.
"Did you find Dende, Otou?" Goten questioned, peering at the figure beside his father.
Unfortunately, the figure was hidden by shadows, and Goten couldn't see his face. Goku smiled.
"Yes, but he decided that he'd rather stay on Kami's Lookout for a little while longer," the
Saiya-jinn informed them. Trunks frowned.
"Then who's the person with you?" the lavender-haired youth questioned. Goku's grin widened,
and he motioned the figure forward. The figure stepped hesitantly into the light, and all the girls over twelve
(including Pan and Bra) immediately swooned.
The man was human, and extremely cute. His long hair, tied in a pony tail, shimmered lilac in the room's
light. His lips were curved in a nervous smile, but his bright blue eyes were locked onto the four oldest
students in the back. He wore baggy black jeans, with a matching T-shirt, his arms covered by a dark
blue jacket, which had a patch on it reading Capsule Corporation. The man wasn't exactly young, the
slightly marks on his face making him out to be around thirty or so. Across his back was a scabbard, its
strap hidden underneath his jaket. The scabbard held a gleaming sword.
As if totally aware of all the eyes upon him, the man grinned self-consciously.
"Hello," Rayne said, recovering. "Welcome to Capsule Corporation School. I'm Rayne Sirec, the
singing and history teacher. Who are you, if I may ask?"
The man hesitated, and after locking eyes with Goku for a long moment, slowly grinned. He extended a
hand towards Rayne. As she excepted it, he looked back towards the four in the back.
"Call me........" A wry smile flickered on his lips as he continued. "Call me...... Mirai."
(AN: Okay, that's my version of why Bra, Pan, Goten, and Pan were perfectly fine after being
cryogenically frozen for twenty years. Fine meaning that they still had their muscles and weren't
exhausted, only stiff. And why they didn't grow older. Sorry if his explanation isn't scientific. I'm not
exactly in chemistry or anything. Or any interesting stuff like that. I get to study the periodic table, fun fun!
*smiles sarcastically* Everyone loves the elements, don't we children? Well, enough of my complaining.
I'll give you the next chapter as soon as possible. I hope you enjoyed the cliffhanger. Can you guess who
the new guy is? *grins evilly* Anyone have any ideas for the next chapter? That's page 60! Ja! ~AC)