Welcome to Chapter 2!

Summary:

Never one to go looking for love, she let life lead her wherever it would, and she followed. Then she met him, and her life turned around. However, how can one keep what is taken, and how can one love what is lost? Not Serena-centered.

(Suggestions on the summary are welcomed gratefully).

Title:

Even so, Life Goes On

Warnings:

None that come to mind.

Pairings: [Not in order of my favorites, don't worry =) ]

Ami/Trunks: 1

Ami/Goku: 0

Ami/Vegeta: 2

Ami/Piccolo: 2

Ami/Tien: 1

Ami/Yamcha: 1

Symbols:

-word- = Emphasis or Italics

--- = Separates present from past - - or what Ami is writing

Chapter 2

My hand aches for the slightest moment before I begin to write again. The candlelight flame dances wildly on its perch, almost dancing itself out. Moonlight attacks my paper, washing over it in a glorious wave of silver and blue and white, and it is all I can do to keep the butterflies in my stomach at a minimum at the memory that has just kissed my thoughts.

But it is not the time to record that memory, yet.

---

When three individual men landed on the floating palace without the help of an aircraft of any sort, I became---for lack of a better word---"freaked out" at the possibility that maybe I wasn't in Kansas anymore. . . I suddenly wished for a pair of sparkling red shoes, and a beautiful good witch to come and tell me how to use them correctly.

"Tien! Yamcha! Piccolo!" Goku waved frantically; his meeting with the young green boy---Dende, I believe the green one said his name was---seemed to be over.

With my legs just a-dangling and my mouth hanging open in the most disrespectful of ways, I stared, unmoving, at the words and friendly gestures flowing between Goku and two of the three men that had. . . landed. From my spot on the floating palace I couldn't hear what was being said, but somewhere in the conversation my name must have popped up because Goku pointed to me and signaled for me to come and meet his friends.

Why me? was my immediate thought. [AN: If anyone is wondering, no, the "W" isn't supposed to be capitalized. Heh, I looked it up myself. ;-)]

But, being raised to be polite and courteous to anyone I should come across- --unless of course I sensed something bad from them, as human instinct often does when something is wrong with a person---I hauled myself up and, very hesitantly, walked over to Goku and his friends.

Of course they, too, towered over me, and I couldn't help but notice---upon closer inspection, of course---that one of my hero's comrades had. . .

"Three eyes?" He nodded.

Three eyes indeed! For a minute, I felt like a little child, filled with wonder and amazement and wanting to touch the third eye, yet feeling a slight bit of repulsion, and overall covered in fear. And then I remembered where I was, who I was with, and what I was doing. . . staring. I quickly averted my eyes and scowled as I felt my face heat up.

"Excuse me," I stammered, "I didn't mean to stare, it's just that I've never seen anyone human with three eyes." I noticed I had emphasized the word human, and quickly covered my mistake with: "Except for on television, you know, with aliens and such." That explanation didn't seem to be any better, for it sounded as if I were a mindless little girl who watched too many horror movies. "I mean, I don't watch television often, and if I do, I usually just watch nature shows or hospital operations, or. . ."

It occurred to me that I was ranting when Goku cut me off with his nice laughter.

"Slow down, Ami. Why don't I introduce you, first?" My face lowered to the ground in embarrassment. Goku must have thought I was a mindless teenybopper as well. He was just too kind to show it outwardly.

"This is Tien." Then he added, "A human Tryclopes," Because I still hadn't lifted my face from the ground, so naturally I wouldn't have been able to see him for myself. . . again.

"Ami." I mumbled. I couldn't see what Tien did, but I supposed I had made a bad impression for he turned right around and walked away, not uttering a single word. My confidence evaporated.

He went on to introduce me to Yamcha, who got the same result, and then it registered somewhere in my brain that I was being rude by not looking at the people I was being introduced to. Well, needless to say, I was horrified, and at the moment Goku decided he wanted to lower his head to tell me something, my own head shot up and connected with his chin. Hard.

A hollow thunk sounded in my ears, and three things occurred to me. One: I had either broken Goku's jaw with the force of our impact; Two: I had cracked open my skull from the hardness of his chin; and Three: The one called "Yamcha" seemed to be laughing over my stupidity, and he choked out, "Nice to meet ya," and walked away in the direction of Tien.

Since Goku seemed to be in tip-top shape, I decided I must have cracked my skull, or at least jumbled my brain. Any which-way, my head hurt.

"Sorry!" Goku's apology was light but sincere. "I've always had a hard head."

I winced. "It's fine." I wanted to add, "But since you're being so concerned, how about getting me three pounds of aspirin and about 70 water bottles?" I kept quiet and waited for him to introduce me to the next male present.

The next green male present. Another oddity. This place was full of them!

"This is Piccolo."

I smiled and winced at the same time, taking in the features of this Piccolo man. He looked like a taller version of Dende, only a lot more muscular and less modest about his clothing. In truth, he looked like a man in a green suit, but it would have been rude to tell him so.

"Nice to meet you." Proud of myself for actually saying something other than my name to these men---well, and saying something that made sense---my smile widened. "My name is Ami." I didn't dare hold out my hand for fear of him breaking it with his strength like Goku almost had.

He frowned, his not as bad as Vegeta's, looking at Goku in silent question before asking: "She's an ally?" He had completely ignored my greeting.

Goku laughed. "She's a girl."

I wanted to state that by law I was a woman, but I kept my mouth shut. It didn't matter because Goku and Piccolo kept talking as if I weren't there. This bothered me, but I didn't show it, only stood there smiling away like an idiot. Finally, I wandered away from the two, and they didn't even seem to notice I was gone.

Looking around me at chatting men and people who seemed like they had been friends forever, I felt even more out of place and found myself back at the edge of the palace with my legs dangling over the side. I didn't even notice Gohan when he sat down beside me.

"Ami," He said, and I jumped.

"Hi, Gohan." The smile upon my face was about as real as an imaginary friend. Gohan saw it, too.

A frown appeared on the boy's face and he titled his head. "What's wrong?"

"I feel a little lonely." Imagine that, me, the woman whom only smiles politely when spoken to and gets the job done with over-efficiency, telling an 11 or 12-year-old that I'm feeling lonely. Will wonders never cease?

Gohan rolled over onto his stomach and began lazily kicking his legs in the air. "Why? Talk to somebody." He stated it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I'm talking to -you-." I pointed out.

A grin spread across his face. "Talk to Trunks."

I turned a slight shade of rosy pink. "No way."

"Why?"

"It's complicated." It really wasn't. Truth was, I was too nervous to talk to Trunks, Tien, Yamcha. . . basically anyone here besides Goku and Gohan!

Gohan rolled his eyes in boyish cute-ness. "I talk to him all the time. The only thing that gets complicating is when he starts talking about stuff I don't understand."

Well, I wanted to say; you wouldn't understand this, either, sadly. "I don't have the nerve." Why was I even having this conversation when it seemed to be making me most uncomfortable? Oh yes, my lack of self-pride.

He snorted. "Bad reason." Then, he suddenly sat straight up and smiled brightly. "Talk to Vegeta!"

There was no hesitation for this suggestion. "No-o. Never. Not on your life, kid-do. I don't have a fetish for blushing or dying, you know." My first attempt at a joke! It was a brief success.

Gohan laughed at my answer. "Seriously, he's just standing over there looking really out of place, and he could probably use a friend."

I raised an eyebrow. "And this pertains to me in what respect?" He must have thought I was joking because the kid started laughing again. "Har, har, har; I'm serious, Gohan. I'm not going near that walking. . . piece of ice." Ice was a perfect way to describe a cold fellow like Vegeta.

"But he looks so lonely."

My eyes sought out and found Vegeta. There was that scowl plastered to face, his jaw was set, eyes narrowed, arms crossed. "I think he looks happy."

The look on his face was cute until he said, "And I think you need glasses. Ami, he's got no friends. Even Trunks won't go near him."

I supposed the question in my eyes was enough to make Gohan chuckle and rub his head. "Oh yeah, Trunks is Vegeta's son."

My head snapped toward Trunks', and only then did I notice the uncanny resemblance of him to Vegeta. Aside from the hair and eyes, the two could be mistaken for brothers! But wait a minute. . . Trunks looked to be around a lesser year my senior, which meant Vegeta must have been. . .

"How old is Vegeta? About 46 or something? Because if he is, he looks really good for his age."

My question sent Gohan into another round of laughter, and when the boy finally caught his breath, Dende was motioning for him to join the other--- I guessed they were all fighters by now---team mates to stand near two huge, threatening doors. I made myself comfortable, figuring I'd sit there and stare at the sky. Alone, again.

But Gohan tugged on my hand and smiled warmly. "You want to come with me?"

I shook my head immediately, even though I wanted to be anywhere Gohan was, just for his nice comfort. "You go ahead. They're your friends, not mine." I hadn't meant to sound harsh, more like unsure. It didn't work and Gohan yanked me to my feet---literally, mind you---dragging me along behind him while he ran to the group.

Surprisingly, Yamcha awarded me with a smile, Trunks with another smile, Tien with a nod, Piccolo with---surprise, surprise---a frown, Vegeta. . . skip him, Goku with his trademark smile---no surprise there, thankfully--- and Dende with a half-smile. The little ebony guy was nowhere to be seen. I sent a smile to each of them.

"This is the Time Chamber." Dende spoke in an important tone, lifting his staff to the door. "In here, a person can get a years worth of training in a day. Two people at a maximum, and, if you're strong enough, you can stay in there two days. No more than two days, though. It's dangerous." Then he smiled at the warriors. "Who's going first?"

I watched with mild amusement as Goku---he must have been the leader of this pack---stated that he and Gohan would be going in together first. I had to admit, questions were whirling about in my head, but since Dende seemed to be the one in charge of the 'Time Chamber', I supposed I would just ask him.

Tien and Yamcha backed out, saying something about once was enough for them, and they would train on their own.

In utter amazement I watched them begin to levitate in the air, wave and take off in a bright flash of white light that left something akin to a paint streak of opal in the air. I was in awe.

Then Vegeta with his deep, dark tone announced that he would be the first to go in the room.

I looked quickly at Goku to see his reaction, only to be placed in further stupidity as he nodded, even going so far as to suggest Vegeta's son, Trunks, go in with him. It was, to me, a kind-hearted and confusing gesture at once.

Gohan seemed to understand the things I didn't because he added, "Yeah, that'd be great for you two."

And Goku said, "Spend some father-son time together." To which he was given the worst look---by Vegeta, of course---that had me freezing in my tracks even though it wasn't directed toward me.

It was then that Piccolo announced he would go in after everyone else, but he would go in alone.

Then, I remembered my questions and turned to Dende, who had been standing there, watching with thorough agreement to whatever the fighters had been deciding. I bent down and whispered:

"What exactly is this 'Time Chamber' thing, and what does it do?"

For a minute I didn't think he'd heard me, but then he took my wrist--- without even looking at me---and led me to a room on this floating palace.

A very beautiful room. There were no chairs, no bed, no mirror---it was just a beautiful room decorated with tapestries of all shapes and sizes, and two antique looking bottles; one was black, the other a darker shade of off-white. The room itself seemed to be the color of a foggy sky blue, and I wondered if that was because there were no lights in the room. Anyhow, the first thing I did was go over to the two bottles just sitting on the ground and ask:

"What are these for?"

Dende set his staff aside and plopped himself on the ground, to which I followed his example and did the same, still looking at the bottles over my shoulder.

"The Time Chamber," he wasted no time, "is a room in which-"

"I know, I know: a person can get a years worth of training in a day; two people at a maximum, and, if you're strong enough, you can stay in there two days. No more than two days, though. You explained all of that. But what do you do in a Time Chamber?" I looked at the green boy expectantly, and he folded his hands.

"You train," He said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Well, I decided, maybe to some people it was. But by my silence, one would have guessed I was just a tad bit unsatisfied by his answer, but Dende just sat there looking at me, as if to say, Well, go ahead, ask another question. And I did.

"Why?"

He looked a bit startled. "Why, what?"

"Why do you train?" Before he could speak, I continued: "I mean, what would you train for? And how would you train?" No, that wasn't the real question. I couldn't put my thoughts into a real question for a moment. Why would a person go into a room to train, and how could you possibly get a years worth of training in a day? I voiced my thoughts.

"It is. . . complicated."

Complicated. Everything was always complicated. Me not being able to talk to any of the men besides the two---I looked at Dende---or three I felt comfortable with was complicated. My fear was complicated. The Biological structure of each of the persons on this floating palace was complicated. Heck, the floating palace -itself- was complicated! Always complicated.

Dende must have sensed my silent frustration, for he added, "I'm sorry. Too much to explain. Maybe I can during a less stressful time?"

I nodded, smiling. Then my smile dropped. "What do you mean a 'less stressful time' ? This time is stressful? Why?"

The green boy titled his head and looked at me in confusion. "Cell."

"Who?"

"C-e-l-l. Cell." At my silence he insisted, "Cell! Cell; you don't know who Cell is?"

I shook my head in the negative.

Dende's eyes widened a bit. "Why not? Haven't you watched your human television?"

A laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it, and Dende just stared at me silently. "I'm sorry," I finally said, "it just sounded so different the way you said it. Nobody's ever called my television -human- before."

"I. . . guess that's humorous." He offered me a pity smile. Something must have sparked in his mind because he frowned. "You really don't know who Cell is?"

Are you waiting for me to say no, because the answer hasn't changed since the first time you've asked me that question. Rei, one of my close friends, would have probably said that very sentence, I mused. But, seeing as how I couldn't force myself to be so forward like my friend Rei would have, I said, "No, I don't. Would you mind explaining who he is?" Rei would have added, Or is that too complicated for you, also?

Dende nodded and was about to speak when a voice cut through our little talk:

"Bulma's here!"

It was definitely Gohan's voice and now I wanted to know who 'Bulma' was--- the name sounded feminine, so if these warriors knew a female, they couldn't be rough and tough -all- the time---so I stood, dusted myself of imaginary dust and asked Dende to cut this session short, and I'd talk to him later, if he didn't mind.

He didn't, and side-by-side we exited his pretty room to go and meet this 'Bulma' woman.

She was the very woman who introduced me to the horror who called himself 'Cell.'

~*~*~

More fun, eh? Anyhow, thank you to these reviewers:

Phèdre nó Delauany: Whoa, your name is absolutely beautiful. What does it mean, though? Is it French? Anyhow, it's gorgeous. Hehe, I'm glad I make you happy, but the same goes for you! You make me happy with your review, and I'm glad it's not just a, "I want more!" or something. I like well- rounded, critical, maybe praising reviews. . . and yours is one of them! Thanks again! Oh, don't worry, no fighting for our sweet little Ami. That bugs me as well.

Rami: I like your name! Thank you for voting! Thank you also for the compliment to my story, and I hope you enjoy the next chapter as well. Thanks again.

Niamh: Lovely name, very mystical-sounding! Oh, don't worry, you were very helpful on this chapter! I am off to a good start? Phew! That's relieving! And my descriptions are good? Yay! Thank you so much for this review. Again, you don't know how grateful I am! PS: Hehe, enjoy Government ::snicker:: [j/k].

STC: Haha, thank you so much! I agree, too many people give up on good fics these days, and you don't see them very often, either. Yes, I plan on continuing this for however long it needs [or however I see fit for it] to be continued. Don't worry, I won't wait about 2 years to update. . . I can't stand it when people do that. Thanks again! By the way, does your name stand for anything in particular?

Kaiya: Such a pretty name you have! Yeah, Ami fics are so cute if a person writes them without making her all rough and tough and OOC. But, in general, they're cute anyway! Thank you for voting [People are listening, yay!]. Next chapter coming soon. Thanks again!

The Chosen One: Now there's a name that speaks to a person! I like it. Haha, thanks about the fic not being contrived. I have an idea of what that means, but until I look it up, I'm in the dark! Any-hoo, that's a logical, nice way of describing Piccolo's need for a partner, and I've never thought about the pairing of Ami and Piccolo, but hey, that's why it's called "imagination" right? Thanks again!

Sadie Joyce - Myst Lady: Thank you! Well, you're right about Gohan, but you seem a little down-hearted at the idea of Ami/Trunks. Hey, even if a majority of the crowd votes for Ami/Trunks, your vote counts too! Heck, vote for Ami/Kami, I don't care! I'm open to all sorts of votes, so forget what the crowd will vote for. Besides ::snicker:: it's -my- story, and I get to pick who Ami ends up with anyway. Just vote for who you want her too be with [Sorry about Gohan, though if enough people want him, I can try to do something about it]. . . not to mention only 1 person has voted for Trunks, and Vegeta and Piccolo are in the lead [hint, hint!]. Thanks again, and forget the crowd! Vote your little heart out!! PS: Your name is gorgeous, and I like it a lot!

[I'm ecstatic that my first 7 reviews are well-written and helpful; it shows me wise authors are reading this story!]

A NOTE TO EVERY REVIEWER: Although it's very sweet when people review me saying things about how they love my story and want me to update, or just tell me to add a new chapter, I really, really take into consideration the critical/praising reviews people give me summarizing my progress so far. I enjoy it when people "grade" my work, so please, don't hesitate to do it! Flames are welcome, but if you want to know which kind I absolutely do NOT tolerate, look at my Bio. Otherwise, be as ruthless, picky, and harsh as you need to to get what you're saying across! I promise, I won't snap at you if you do! More than likely, I'll thank you gratefully!

Thanks & Cheers,

~*azure_chan*~ ][\/][ \\//\\// //-\\ ][-][ !!!