So they Say; Dirait-on

Disclaimer:  I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of the Dragon Ball Z characters.  They are owned by those who own them.  I do, however, own the original characters (if any) and the fic all of this is in.  That is all.

Author's Note:  Thanks to Crash, who pointed about how many wishes the Earth's Dragon Balls can grant.  I knew it was either two or three, so thanks for correcting me.  Thanks.  And thanks also to Dreamwraith as well.  I am glad that you two are enjoying this fic.  ^________^

Chapter Three

                The day had slowly begun like it had ended many hours before, the sun rising from the East from its watery bed so that it would go back into its slumber in the West.  Morning calls brought about the sounds of rushing water against solid Earth as the waves awoke to the new beginning of life.  The fish underneath the froth of foam moved their scaled tails back and forth, their eyes absent of any thought that they might have in their tiny minds.  Other creatures stirred in the depths of the ocean, hardly noticing the change between night and day as they were used to the ever present darkness of their realm.  The gulls above the coursing water cawed at the day's break, awaking all that were in their slumber.

                In the golden rays of the new day, Tien stood outside in the still cool sand, punching furiously at nothing in particular.  He hadn't gotten much sleep the night before, but who could with the waves of the ocean rolling against the shore of the island?  Normally it wouldn't bother him so much as the gentle lapping would place him into a deep sleep spell that would not wear off until hours after the sun would rise from its own sleep.  Now, it annoyed him to a point where he couldn't even stand to be outside with it roaring in his ears, even in the daylight hours.  He supposed it was because of the vents that had taken place the day before, but even before that moment the waves had caused him any sleepless nights.

                But, what could he do about it?  Chaotzu was the only one that knew of his plight with Oolong and Roshi too absorbed by their TV antics to actually care about anything else.  The girl probably wouldn't care if he was getting any sleep or not since she had not spoken a word nor moved from her position on the couch she had spoken very little to them the day before.  She hadn't even asked for anything to eat or drink from the moment she had come to the house, but then again, she had been quite out of it when she arrived and he didn't think it would wear off any time soon.

                "I suppose you think you could get any stronger with just punching nothing but air, now do you?"  A soft voice mused forcefully from behind him.  Tien stopped in mid-punch, his ears pricking up as he listened to what little wind was there before he dropped his arms to his side.  He turned around slowly, knowing who the voice belonged to even though he didn't expect it to be her.  Rose stood there, her emerald eyes staring him down coldly as if she didn't like him.  Those orbs that looked upon him didn't seem to be lost and confused like they had been the day before as a set determination set on her face.  She held the blanket that Roshi had given her around her body so that she did not show anything to the other with one hand drooping by her side while the other held the cloth up by her chest.  "I think that you are just wasting your time trying to do that."

                "You should be on the couch, resting," Tien instructed, ignoring the question and the words that she had asked and spoken to him.  "You went through a lot yesterday, and I don't want you to get any worse then you are now."

                "I am fine. It was not like I was that hurt by them.  I have had worse then rocks being tumbled onto me."

                "Still.  A person does not just walk away after being buried under a pile of rocks that size and weight for Dende knows how long.  You could have been killed.  I am surprised that you weren't."

                "You will be surprised at what people can live through, especially ones that you don't even know or care to."

                Tien opened his mouth to say something then closed it with no words coming from his throat, a little surprised at the words that she had spoken.  He knew those words were true; hell, he even said them himself the night before to Chaotzu.  Yet, still, she shouldn't even be up after being under those same rocks for however long she had been under them.  Not even someone as strong as Goku would not have any problems under such conditions and the Saiyan was used to being thrown into mountains and such.  He didn't know what she was used to and he didn't care.  It wasn't his problem as to why she had been under them.

                "Why are you doing that anyways?  There is nothing there to actually hit, therefore nothing to hit you back," She spoke rationally, a smile creeping onto her lips.  "If you find someone to actually spar with, you will find that it is much more easier to become stronger."

                He took in a deep breath, his left eye twitching.  "It helps if I train a lot, even if it is alone.  Why do you ask?"

                "Just curious, that is all," Rose answered with a light shrug.  "I don't see people hit the open air for no apparent reason since it doesn't do you any good to do so.  You don't have anyone to hit you back."

                "I have a reason."

                "And a poor one at that," She answered, a knowing look on her face.  Her expression in her eyes did not change as she turned around towards the house as she started to walk towards it.  "I'll take your advice, Hero, and go back to the couch.  That will keep me occupied for a minute or less, then I will try to find something else to do."

                Tien stared after her in half disbelief, half anger as she strode through the open door.  He stayed there for several moments before he shook his head, ignoring his training for the moment as he walked in behind her.  The woman sat down upon the couch, keeping the blanket around her as her eyes moved up towards him.  They looked lost now; more so then they had done the day before, but still held that defiance that had been in them not a moment earlier.

                "Who exactly are you?"  He demanded, ignoring the rise in his voice that echoed through the house. He knew that the others were still asleep in their own rooms in the house, yet that did not bother him the slightest.  As long as they were still asleep, he would be fine.

                "I told you yesterday who I am.   I hope that you didn't forget that soon, now did you?  However, I would like to know who you are since you never gave me the pleasure of your name," Rose spat back, moving her free hand underneath the blanket as she pulled it overtop of her shoulders.  "I don't want to be calling you 'it' or 'him' or even 'Hero' for that matter, now do I?"

                "Tien.  My name is Tien.  Happy?"

                "No, I am not.  When I get out of here and get that orange orb that I had before I came here, only then will I be happy.  Maybe not even when I do get out of here will I be."

                "You mean the Dragon Ball?"  He inquired, coming a step closer to her then he had been before.  He now had a confused look on his face, indicating to her more then what his words had told her.  He still did not know why she wanted the Dragon Ball in the first place; perhaps maybe now he could get out the reason behind her having the Six Star one.

                "If that is what it is called, then yes.  That is what I mean," She answered, pulling her legs underneath of her body so that she was not sitting Indian Style.  "I need it, so once that you believe that I am better, then I will go find it again."

                "Don't bother."  Tien shook his head.  "It isn't worth your time."

                "And why not?"  She hissed loudly enough, making Tien cringe at the sheer loudness in which she cast her voice to him.  "It is no like you need them or anyone else for that matter."

                "How do you know that?  Even more so, do you even know what the Dragon Balls can do?"

                "Yes, I do.  I know enough to be able to use them when I want to."

                "How did you learn of them?"

                "That is none of your damned business!"  Rose shouted out, causing Tien to move quickly over towards her, cupping his right hand overtop of her mouth so that she would not say anything more.

                "Be more quiet!"  He growled out, grabbing her arms with his left hand.  "Do you really want to...."

                "Hey, what is going on here?  Who's shouting in there?"  A tired voice, which Tien suspected it was Roshi, asked as the old Turtle Hermit stumbled out of the back rooms, sleep still in his eyes.  He wore nothing but a pair of red boxers and a white T-shirt as he stopped a few feet away from the couch.  Tien rolled his eyes as the old man's eyes went wide, his mouthing curving into a sly smile as a cackle came from within his throat.  "Ah HA!  I knew something was going on in here!  Tien, you old scoundrel!  I didn't think....."

                "That is not what we were doing!"  Tien screeched, clenching his teeth together as he dropped his hands off of the girl and stood up with flames dancing in his eyes.  He turned towards the door that lead outside just as Chaotzu walked lazily into the room with Oolong right behind him.  They stopped behind Roshi, Chaotzu rubbing one eye awake with his hand.  Tien stopped at the door, turning his head towards the trio that had come out from the back rooms.

                "What's going on here?"  Chaotzu mumbled sleepily, yawning to get himself more awake.

                "Tien is playing doctor with our new friend here," Roshi admitted, chuckling even more to himself.

                "Oh, be quiet old man.  Get your sick, perverted mind out of the gutter," The girl growled her eyes still on Tien as she straightened her back.  "You know, I can't stay here with this blanket on me all the time."

                "Sure you ca...."  Oolong started before Chaotzu hit the pig on the back of the head.

                "What do you want me to do about it?"  Tien grumbled, crossing his arms light over his chest as Oolong rubbed the spot where Chaotzu had hit him.

                "Isn't there any way that you can get me something else to wear?  Maybe there is something around this house that I could put on."

                "Lady, look...."

                "It's Rose," She quipped with narrowed eyes.

                "Okay, fine.  Rose, look around you.  Do you see any other women that live in this house?" 

                There was a silence that followed those words, everyone looking at those that were around them before their eyes wandered back upon the one that was standing near the door.  Tien sighed, closing two of his eyes before opening them up again.  Why do I bother?  He thought to himself as he turned halfway around before breaking the silence that had followed his earlier words.  "If you want clothes, I am sure that Master Roshi can spare a few things until you leave."

                "Isn't there any other options?"  Rose asked gently, glancing at the old man that had now inched his way to the back of the couch.  Her gaze did not deter him as he gave her a wide smile.  "Please?"

                "Why not ask Bulma?  I am sure that she would be willing to help," Oolong offered, dropping the hand that had been rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head to his side.  Tien stayed quiet for that moment, looking from the woman then to Roshi then back to her again, noticing the two different looks that each had on their faces.  I don't blame her for not wanting to even wear the same clothing as that pervert, He thought, forcing himself not to smile at that same thought.  Maybe Oolong has a good idea.  Perhaps I can even drop her off at Capsule Corp. so that I don't have to worry about her anymore.

                "Maybe I should," Tien mused, turning his body fully towards the door.  He stood there for a moment, thinking of something else before he walked out of the house and onto the beach that lay beyond that.  Hesitating for a moment, Tien watched the light clouds move along the sky before he pushed his body off of the ground, flying into the air.  Rose watched him go through the air, a look of surprise on her face as she turned towards Chaotzu, who had come forwards more so then he had done before.  His eyes were also trained upon the window, yet there was no surprise on his face but a look of wonder and worry.

                "Can he do that?"  She whispered to the being that stood not far from the couch, her green eyes breaking away from the morning sky to gaze upon the other that stood before her.  Chaotzu did not move his gaze, instead nodding as a small smile came upon his lips.

                "We all can," He whispered back, a knowing look surpassing the wonder and worry that had been on it before.  Rose blinked her eyes, turning her attention back towards the window, her unanswered questions lingering in her head.  Maybe he can help me in more ways then one, She thought to herself a she settled deeper into the couch, ready for an eventful day that was just beginning.

****

                The snow-capped mountains that pressed down the middle of the faraway land trembled in fear as a cold wind pressed hard against the rock.  Driving snow caused little visibility for those that actually dared to go into such a place at a time like this.  If there had been any creatures that had been in the already lain snow, they were quickly covered up by the whipping hail and frosty glares of the clouds above.   Nothing was alive in the valley in which the mountains had created, if there was such a thing to be seen or heard of.  Very few would want to be in such a place at any given point, even if that want was of dark origins.

                The frost of the snow would cover tracks of animals and other creatures, a good deal for those that had actually trekked through the snow-bound floors of the mountains.  The trespassers would seal their fate by not muttering a word about the hidden beauty while the mountains would cover their tracks with a fresh blanket of snow.  And, yet, as deep as the snow was and as much as it was falling from the dark sky above, there was no hiding the deep trail that started from somewhere in the break of the mountains to a single rock that stood apart from the rest of them.  What made this trail so different then the tracks was that it was perfect as snow was pushed back by an unknown force.  Down below the soft surface of the snow was something the light of day would never see: a faint hint of green grass that should not exist in a cold world.

                Who or what made the trench to this mountain knew what it was doing as it kept itself hidden from view of the raging storm.  If this creature had climbed up the mountain, moving along with the cracks and small peaks that the task gave it, then it had been covered up by the rapid snow fall.  There was no indication that there was anything moving from within the lavatory that had been abandoned, forgotten, and left without much thought to it. Even so, the mountains were not speaking their knowledge to those that had come after this, allowing little light to shed on any events that might unfold.

                And, yet, there was something dark about the mountain valley that the frost-bitten clouds did not cast down upon. A darkness that could not be pushed away by means of the stinging howls of the falling snow.  Only something more pure could banish any remaining darkness to the void in which it came from.

                Or would die trying.

****

                The trip to Capsule Corp. from Roshi's island was a long one despite he was going as fast as he possibly could.  Usually he flew at a pace where he was most comfortable at and would still allow him to safely get to one place to another.  Those were the times that there was something that was trying to defeat those that wanted to protect the Earth from any attacks that would come and those times he knew it was better to go at a pace in which enabled him to get things done right.  However, this time around, he wanted to get away from one particular place as fast as he could.  And for good reason too.

                Tien sighed as he landed with ease upon the solid ground in front of the main building of the Capsule Corp. complex, not even looking in awe at how big it was.  It was a large compound with man different buildings that held many complex gadgets, laboratories, and such for the genius minds that worked on alien and human technology.  There were, perhaps, even more then just tinkering with gadgets and new inventions that were being made as quickly as they were cast aside.  Few knew the things that these great minds knew, the rare few outside of the gadgets glad that no one else knew what they knew.

                He stared up at the windows that overlooked the street, a pang of dread hitting his stomach.  He didn't want to be there and for several reasons if that.  It wasn't that he was afraid of the family that lived within the compound; at least, most of them.  Vegeta was the one that he feared the most even if he didn't show it and the one person he didn't want to see at that moment.  He knew how the Saiyan acted around other people and how fast his temper would explode if one was not careful about it.  If there was one thing that a person should never do, it is to cross paths with an angry Super Sayian.

                "How am I going to explain this one to Bulma?"  Tien mused out loud to no one in particular as he walked up to the door, ready to knock on it.

                "Explain what to me?"  A female voice demanded from behind him before he had the chance to knock or do anything else.  He turned around slowly to see a blue-haired woman standing there, hands on her hips as several shopping bags hung around her wrists.  This was Bulma Briefs, the woman with the mind of several scientists and the one that created many things that he and others used.

                "Um.....well, you see....."  Tien started, scratching the back of his head.  "It is kind of hard to explain."

                "What did Vegeta do THIS time?" The woman growled, her eyes narrowing and her face becoming angry and fierce.

                "This isn't about Vegeta.  It is something totally different," He said quickly, hoping to dodge any physical or verbal attacks that he might get in the way of.

                "Oh," Bulma said, her expression changing to a softer tone as she smiled lightly.  "Well, then.  What is it?"

                "Not out here.  Maybe I can tell you inside.  Perhaps...."  Tien started before the woman pushed the shopping bags into his stomach, causing him to trail off.  She then let go of them, causing him to quickly wrap his arms around the bags so that they wouldn't fall to the ground.

                "If you want to talk to me, you'll have to carry these bags in," She instructed as she walked past him without much thought, opening the door so that both of them could get into the building.  Tien sighed again, following her inside of the building.

                He just hoped he knew what he was getting himself into.

To Be Continued