Hi all! I'm back! (Barely...)
Alex: Wow! You got it working!
Alex Ultra: Well, I'm not so sure. This stupid computer is ready for the junk pile!
Alex: So?
Alex Ultra: So, mostly it means that I won't be updating regularly for quite a while. Maybe we'll get a new computer...
Alex: Don't count on it!
Sorry it's been so long people; our computer's about had it (first the speakers, then the printers and cameras, and now our hard drive is making a clicking noise and only works when it feels like it!). We already sent it in for repairs and Gateway is no help whatsoever (Dude! We should get a Dell!). Well, computer problems aside, I'm going to try to keep writing, but don't be expecting regular updates like the good-old days... whatever.
Anyway, I don't own DragonBall Z or it's characters, although Alex does belong to me. (Message to all perverts: "You know what I mean!")
Alex: Well it's about time!
Alex Ultra: So sue me! ... You know what? On second thought, don't sue me!
Lawyers: Awww.
Alex Ultra: Now get out of my house. (Lawyers slowly pack up and leave.)
Alex: Where did they come from?
Alex Ultra: I don't know, they're all Vultures as far as I'm concerned.
Alex: Vultures? Out here?
Alex Ultra: The worst kind. Yep!
Alex: That reminds me!
Alex Ultra: Oh? Of what?
Alex: I'm hungry!
Alex Ultra: [Face vaults and laughs nervously] He he, I guess I should have seen that one coming!
Alex rummages through the fridge: Lets see [mumbles]... Ooh Apple Pie! Hey! Why didn't you tell me you had Apple Pie?
Alex Ultra: Would it have mattered?
Alex: No.
Alex Ultra: Exactly.
Moving on... This chapter's been swimming around in my head for a while but I haven't gotten the chance to write it, so now that I'm here, I hope it will be pretty good.
~~~~~~*** NEW CLOTHES ***~~~~~~
I got new clothes.
~~~~~~*** That's it!! ***~~~~~~
Hey, why are you all looking at me like that? What, you don't believe me? Fine! I guess I can make it a bit longer, but I can't promise anything. (Actually, I can, but I'm not going to!)
~~~~~~*** NEW CLOTHES ***~~~~~~
Well, for the second time in what seems like ten minutes I find myself uncomfortable. The first was when I realized that I was a girl; the second (and worse) time was trying to fit into Chaotzu's clothes. (A/N: Hey, does anybody know how his name is really spelled? I'll accept the name that appears most often then correct it in my writing. I had hoped I could avoid it, but I guess I hoped too much.)
Despite my now small stature (which was hard enough to get used to) Chaotzu was even smaller! But his were the closest to my size so now I was being forced to wear these funny-looking green clothes that pinch my legs and restrict my arms.
But, you know what? The most surprising part about what happened to me is that, strangely enough, even though I'm now a five-year-old girl, I somehow look like a miniature version of Goku. Of course, by that I don't mean that I look like him. Instead I mean that I look like I had been working out all my life! Well, I don't mean that my muscles are like bulging out of my shirt; I'm still feminine enough (odd concept, saying I'm still feminine when I've never been feminine before). ... ... ... GREAT!! Now I'm confused!
Okay look! I still look like a little girl, but I look like one who is very fit, okay? Rock hard muscles, but not as defined as Goku's. Got it? (A/N: Augh! Headache!)
Honestly, looking at myself in the mirror, I don't seem to look anything like Goku! For starters I've got big (BIG, like all the other dbz girls) bright blue eyes, and jet-black hair that reaches my shoulders. My hair is straight so it's not messy like it used to be, and it kind of reminds me of Bulma's hair. We've already gone over the muscular build, but none of me reminded me of Goku (through the excessive clothing I had on before I felt okay enough to look myself over, I hope I get used to this quickly, either that or get it fixed!). My feet are rather small (the only thing of Chaotzu's that fit me were his shoes). Over all, I look like I ought to, well, sorta. You know, anime.
But the odd thing is that everything has texture here. Just like the real world. Well, I guess I don't know what I expected, but it doesn't look or feel quite like it looks on TV. Basically, everything's about the same except the eyes. But then, I guess I haven't seen anyone face vault yet, but I don't expect that I will so... whatever.
Anyway, here I am. About a half-mile in the air clinging to Tien's shirt as we go to get me some clothes.
Tien had decided that I needed clothes for two reasons; first, I needed comfortable clothes for training. (He's gonna teach me to fly and stuff! Mostly stuff with my ki though.) And second, I needed some clothes for being around people (something Tien doesn't do much but I assured him that I'm eventually going to have to leave him, 'cause I can't stick around too long anyway.).
"Where are we anyway?"
Tien didn't exactly give me a straight answer. "We're headed to the nearest, uhm, what's it called again?"
"Mall?"
"Yeah, I guess." He wasn't exactly thrilled about going to a mall, but he didn't answer my question anyway.
"No! I mean where are we, really?"
"Oh, well, I don't know exactly, somewhere in America, I guess. I never was very good with geography."
"So I guess you're training in the mountains?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Despite my feeble attempts at conversation, Tien stayed fairly unresponsive. It made me glad that it wasn't Piccolo who had found me.
"We're almost there." Despite that I had never been so far up before, I don't feel the slightest bit nervous. And the only problem I could really notice with the altitude was when my ears popped.
Honestly, somehow I'd bet I could take the fall, even though I'd prefer not to try it.
We landed on the roof and went inside, only to find ourselves in a pet store.
"Squawk!!"
"Well, where do we go from here?"
Tien grunted and started walking out of the store, he looked around and pointed to a little store about three levels below us that had something like a bent barbell over the door. "That's where Chaotzu and I get our stuff."
"Okay. So where are the escalators, or do they have elevators here?"
Tien kind of looked at me funny, then he smiled nervously and kind of choked out a question. "You mean you're serious? You really CAN'T fly?" I shook my head, no. "Oh! Man!" Okay, now he's freaking me out, he's actually starting to act human! And he's reminding me of how Gohan acts around Videl! "Uh, well, I didn't take you very seriously because of how powerful you are, but if you really can't fly then I guess I should be able to teach you!" I swear, one of his eyes must be twice the size of the other right now! "But for now just hang on, flying is faster than any elevators!" Some girls passing by (and their guys carrying bags full of who-knows-what) overheard that last part and started snickering. I could only manage to wave nervously and grab Tien's cape.
I swear their eyes must have popped from their sockets when we lifted off. It sorta made me nervous and happy at the same time. I don't know how many people saw us but I was sure we surprised some and scared others at the same time.
"Well, I think we ought to be able to walk it from here!"
"Ah, mister Shinhan! How can I help you today, sir?" Some guy in a muscle shirt and well-combed hair came right up Tien and seemed to act as if he knew him pretty well.
"Hello, uh..."
"Lou, call me Lou."
"Okay, Lou. Actually, I'm here for her." He gestured to me and I walked up to 'Lou' and reached for his hand.
"Hello. I'm Alex!" I tried my best to act like the little girl I looked like, well, I guess I am one now. Whatever.
He took my hand vice versa, but I think I may have crushed his hand because his voice instantly rose an octave or two when he spoke again; it's obvious he's holding back a wince. "Well! It's apparent she takes after her father, doesn't she?" Well, if the face-vault does happen here, then this is the time for it!
Well, there wasn't any face-vaulting, but Tien did nearly trip on his own foot. "OH, NO! She's not my daughter! She's a-a... uh."
"He's gonna teach me some things! And he wants me to get some fighting clothes!"
"Oh! So she's a student! Well that makes a bit more sense doesn't it? A man as serious as you doesn't mess with the women does he?"
Tien only looked seriously into his face until he quieted down. "Can I help you, Mr. Shinhan?"
"Where's Art." It wasn't even a question, more like an order.
"Oh! Well he's on break right now! And I saw you outside and thought I'd help!" I'm sure he tried to say that matter-of-factly, but with a guy like Tien Shinhan staring you down it's rather hard to keep your nerves down.
"Oh come now, Lou! That's such a feeble excuse! He knows that I don't take my lunch break until 3:30! He is, after all, one of my regulars!" A guy probably in his teens and dressed in slacks and a bright orange t-shirt under a jean-jacket came up behind the older man and made him practically jump out of his perfectly pressed khaki jeans.
"Mister Kayana! I didn't know you were back yet! I was just greeting mister Shinhan here and..."
"Oh get off it Lou. Just go tend to the shelvers and leave this to me."
Lou only sighed in defeat and went back to the shadows of clothes from which he came.
"Another temp, Art?"
"Yeah, but he's a bit too eager. Sometimes I think he would do better in the military than in a sporting store. But anyway, what can I do for you?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could make a gi for Alex here."
"Hi."
"Uh, yeah. Anyway, she's gonna be staying with me for a while so it's going to need to be pretty strong."
"Yeah, I can imagine." Then he looked down at me (for what seemed like the first time) "Hey, you wouldn't mind having my sister measure you, would you?"
"Huh?" He gestured to some girl behind the counter. She didn't really look anything like him; she was wearing black leather and listening to... something on her headphones. It took her two minutes to notice we were staring her down, and even then it was mostly because Art snapped her headphones against her head.
"Hey! Oh, what's up bro?"
"Shut up and make yourself useful for once!"
"You mean the third time today?"
Art narrowed his eyes angrily at her, but she didn't even flinch. Instead she seemed rather happy that she had pissed him off. "So! Who's the victim? Cutie here?" Jeeze! She's acting like some kind of slut!
"No. Actually, THIS one needs measured for a gi. Do you think you can handle that?" She looked down at me and smiled a little.
"Yeah, I think I can manage to screw up again." She gave Art a sly-eye and picked me up in one arm, Art only grunted and expressed his indifference as he walked away with Tien to who knows where.
"Well, lets get you some numbers!" Well, first, I'm still not used to being light or small enough to be picked up, and second, I'm also not used to seeing the three most prevalent facets of society all in one place. You know, the famed 'yes-man' who tries to get along with everybody, the eccentric artist who does get along with everybody, and the perfect punk who seems to hate everybody. Well! My trip here seems to be going well!
Well, anyway, while she was 'getting some numbers', we had some time to talk. "Hey, what's the deal with you and your brother?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, (A/N: Alex is about to expose herself a bit here. Hold on to your seats!) from what I got out there, you two don't seem to get along too well. But it also seems as if you argue a little too much. I mean, it seems as if you purposely get on his nerves."
She looked a bit taken aback by this. "Well! Uh, hehe. Well, do you have a brother?" It kind of hurt, but I shook my head no. "Oh, well you're lucky. Art's just a bit... overbearing," for some reason, she stalled here and looked at me kind of funny. "Uh, that means that he, uh... it's kind of like when parents make you eat broccoli 'cause it's good for you. They go just a little too far."
I didn't mean to seem angry, but for just a moment I had forgotten that I was only five now. I crossed my arms and protested, "I know what it means."
I guess I must have come off as cute because she smiled at me warmly (or as warmly as she could with that nose ring and a bolt coming out of her cheek. "Well, aren't you smart?"
"You have no idea.." I rolled my eye as she measured my lower leg and wrote it down.
She looked back to me and gave me a challenging look, it said 'Oh really? Enlighten me little girl.' So, I took the challenge and explained a few things.
"Well, you're some kind of punk, and to prove it you give your well-meaning brother a hard time. You know he deserves better, but you still try your best to keep up the punk image. Your brother, on the other hand, cares about you more than he cares to admit so he keeps you around hoping you'll change and start doing things on your own. He obviously has an artistic talent and a laid-back attitude, as well as being well known and rather generous. My guess is that he is generous to a fault and will put up with you like this for a while, all the while trying to [grunt] get you out of the punk crowd and on your feet. You keep up your attitude because you don't want to end up like those nameless people in the office buildings, so instead you go out of your way to become one of those nameless punks seen on the streets, [heave] all the while fooling yourself into thinking that your trying to not fit in, when really you are fitting in with the biggest and most unpopular crowd. Augh! See? That's why I need new clothes!" (A/N: Alex got her clothes back about halfway.)
After hearing my little burst of intelligence she was speechless. Wide- eyed and motionless she just stared at me wordlessly, barely even breathing. "What? Would it make you feel better if I said 'Goo-goo, gaa- gaa'?" Her jaw moved but nothing came out. "Great! Don't tell me you're broken?"
Finally she could talk, but she was still wide eyed. "CRAP!! You sound like my psychologist!"
Now I felt like acting childish. I scratched an imaginary itch on the back of my neck, smiled nervously, laughed in the same fashion, and acted overall a lot like Gohan when he's trying to play down his strength. "Oh, really? Well, I guess I have always been pretty good with people! HAHAHA! Hahaha, uh, hehe." I call it 'playing a Gohan', and this was one of the first times that I hadn't done it on purpose!
What's-her-name (no, really, I still don't know her name at this point!) rubbed her forehead and slowly smiled. Soon she was laughing (not in hysterics, just laughing). "You know, I came today thinking it would be boring! But after I get the talking of a lifetime from a little girl less than half my age, it sorta makes my whole life seem boring! And you know what the weirdest thing is?" She didn't wait for an answer. "It sounds a lot like the same thing I get from the guys with Ph.D.'s but this is the first time I can't think of a way to argue!"
"And that's, funny?"
"Oh, sorry, this is just the way I deal with weird stuff. When you're around Tien Shinhan as much as we are, you need to know how to handle the weird stuff."
"Like his third eye?"
"Exactly! And the little girl he brought in one day who gave me the lecture of a lifetime." Well, I think I either made a positive impact on her, or I may have driven her to the loony bin.
After a short laugh she calmed down and looked at me. But she didn't say anything, what could she say?
But I had a couple things to say. "So. What's your name?"
She smiled at me again and got up. "You're a good kid, but we're done here. So let's go get Art, 'kay?" Suddenly she picked me up in one arm and we walked out to get Art. Well, that answers my second question. "And my name's Jesse." And that answers my first.
~~~~~~
"Here you go." Jesse handed a piece of paper to Art, who looked it over only slightly and went back to dealing with a customer, who seemed engrossed with a piece of shimmering gold fabric.
Looking around I quickly noticed Tien in the corner, sitting quietly as usual, probably meditating. So I went over and tried to talk to him.
"So, Tien, uh, do you come here often?"
"Yes."
Man I suck at this. "Right." See?
"Are you done here?"
"I don't know, I guess so."
"Wait! What kind do you want?" Art finished with his customer and came up to us.
"Huh? Aren't they all the same?"
"No. You gotta tell me what to make it look like, otherwise I can't make it right."
"I don't know, what do you think Tien?"
"It's up to you."
"Well, uh, what do I have to choose from?"
Art pulled out a little book and handed it to me. "I don't normally make them for girls your age, so the selection's a bit limited." When I opened it to the right page (I nearly went to the 'Teens' section, then I remembered that I'm not, anymore, uh, whatever, you get the idea) all I saw was two pages. On one was a little girl about my age in a black jumpsuit that said 'Cute' across the front and had nifty stripes down the sides, but that was kind of plain so I looked at the other one. The other one looked like the same girl except that she was wearing a bright yellow jumpsuit with a red dragon going over the shoulder and down the front of the shirt, the pants had some kind of design on it and the back said "Your logo here" in gold lettering.
And we have a winner! "I like this one, except not in that color. And instead of a dragon can you put something else?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"I like dolphins!"
"I think we can do that. Anything else?"
"Uh..."
"What do you think we should put here?" He was referring to the 'Your logo here' spot on the back, and of course, he was talking to Tien.
But Tien only shrugged and told him to ask me. "Uh, well," It only took a couple seconds for an idea to hit me. "I know! Do you have some paper?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, wait here for a second!" He was about to run off but his sister stopped him and handed me a piece of paper and a pencil. "Uh, never mind."
"Thanks!" I took the paper and looked at it for a second or two. Then I took the pencil and started drawing.
When I was finished I had a design I was satisfied with. Overall it looked like a star with four points and little designs over each arm. Over the top arm I had what looked like a little flame (I wanted it blue), over the left arm was a feather type thingy, over the right arm was some kind of eye, and over the bottom arm was an open hand. And to wrap it all up, in the middle I had a star pattern; it looked like a star inside a star inside a star inside a star, four stars, the three smaller ones inside the others.
I handed it to Art and he looked it over, and looked back to me. "What made you come up with this?" Then he flashed a silly smile. "Wouldn't you like some kind of pattern instead?" I shook my head no. "Well then would you mind telling me why you want it this way?" I smiled and took the paper from him; I thought he'd never ask, this design has quite a bit of meaning for me.
First, I pointed to the blue flame over the top arm. "This is the soul." Then I went to the feather on the left arm. "This is the spirit." Over to the eye. "This is the mind." And then I went to the hand. "And this is the body." Then I motioned to indicate the four-armed star. "The big star is the person, and the smaller stars are the center, as well as being the lines between the arms."
Art only blinked a couple times then threw his head back and laughed. "Well, I guess that makes sense. But it's not exactly what I expected!"
"What did you expect?"
"Well, [haha] I kind of expected you to say 'Cause it's pretty!'"
I smiled. "Oh! Well that too!"
It took him a little bit to calm down a bit. "Okay, well, it's going to take a while to finish your gi so if you come back around, uh, 9ish?"
"Sure." Tien stood up and motioned for me to go with him, and I followed. Art had already left, where to? I don't know, but I assumed he was working on my gi (gi?).
~~~~~~
Tien grunted as he paid for my clothes, it was a small pile, really, considering I was replacing my ENTIRE wardrobe!
I had six shirts (two sweaters and four T's) and seven pairs of pants (three pairs of jeans, one pair of sweats, and three pairs of shorts, all of which seemed too cute for my taste, but I didn't have much choice, honestly, I thought I looked pretty good in them!). And, of course, I had some, uh, underpants, THEY were the hardest to pick out the right size for! (As you can imagine, I'm sure.) I also got a pair of leather work-gloves (I was lucky to find a pair to fit my tiny hands.) and two pairs of shoes (one pair of tennis-shoes, and one pair of Sandals), keeping in mind that I was going to be doing a lot with them.
"Did you get enough?" Tien looked more annoyed than angry, probably because we were in Wal-Mart and it was all pretty cheap (the whole thing for under $100). So I answered his question as honestly as I could.
"Geeze! I hope so!" I had a silly smile slapped on my face as I hung off the side of the checkout counter looking at my new wardrobe. I swear, I must be acting more and more like a child by the minute!
"Well, we've got another couple of hours to waste, so what do you want to do?"
"Hmm. Well, first I would LIKE to get out of these tight clothes, but then maybe we can find some way to pass the time?" I gave him a quick wink and he blinked confusedly.
"Uh... okay?" We picked up the bags and headed back to the main area.
"Can you wait here for a minute?"
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm gonna go change! Be right back!" I ran off to the nearest restroom (making sure to go in the right one) and quickly changed into a red sweater and jeans. Quickly because it's still rather unnerving as to what I am now.
When I saw Tien again he was floating about two feet off the ground (a fact that was hidden by a bag on one side, a chair behind him, and a small tree on the other side). "I'm back!" He only grunted.
"Well, now what?"
I put on what I thought might be a sly grin (I really don't know what I look like to other people anymore..) and spoke again. "Do you mind if we go to the roof?" He only opened his eyes and looked at me. I had my reasons, "I'll tell you when we get there."
~~~~~~ On the roof ~~~~~~
"Now would you mind telling me why you took us up here?"
"Sure! Just power up for me, would you?" He was obviously very confused, apparently too confused to argue.
"Whatever you say." He put his arms to his sides and prepared to power up, and within seconds I was seeing the telltale signs of him powering up. White flames engulfed his body and he shouted a bit as his muscles bulged a bit, all this while his cape was trying to blow up and away. "How's this?" He had a taunting smirk on his face, as if to say 'You asked for it!'
"Great! Thanks! Now can I try?" Again he was confused, but he quickly powered down and nodded his head.
"Why not? Knock yourself out!"
"I hope not! It was bad enough the first time!" He held back a snicker but I protested, telling that I was serious.
"Whatever."
I rolled my eyes and assumed the position. Then I put my arms down at my sides, without flexing them.
I tried to stay calm, without flexing a single muscle I searched for my ki. I had done this many times before, but this time I was careful not to go overboard, I now had more energy than I was used to, so I went slowly.
Rather than picturing the flames around me, like many people do, I had gotten used to simply feeling it around me, then spinning it around me. Soon I could feel it coming in force; I could feel it spinning around me, which was no different than normal, except that this time my hair was blowing in the same direction. Up and around my head.
It wasn't until I got a nose-full of hair that I opened my eyes. Yup! My ki was definitely visible this time! Not only that, but Tien looked as if he was watching a ghost materialize out of mid-air!
Then I thought 'Why not? I did it before! Maybe I'll have more control this time?' So, I put my arms into the flexing position, spread my feet a bit further, bent my knees, and started pulling as hard as I could.
Immediately a flood of ki erupted from somewhere inside me, I felt as if I might even be more powerful than when I was trying to fight Kinkilla!
Kinkilla. He killed them, he killed them all! That beast! I'LL KILL HIM!!!
Suddenly memories started rushing back to me. And, as before, I started getting angry. I flexed my muscles as tight as they would go and pulled my ki close to me.
~~~ Tien Shinhan ~~~
How? How can she be so powerful? And now she looks positively PISSED!!
Maybe this isn't the right place to be.
"Uh, are you alright?" I know it was weak, but I couldn't think of anything else to say! What could I say?
Then she started mumbling something. "I'll... kill... you!" Now she's crying, MAN I wish I could read people like Chaotzu! "All dead! All of them!... Nothing... nothing..."
Oh, shoot. Now she's starting to scare me!
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!!! KINKILLAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Suddenly her ki simply skyrocketed, the only time I felt that much ki coming from one person was when Goku last fought Piccolo! "I SWEAR IT!!!!! I'LL KILL YOOOOUUUU!!!!!!"
Now the flames were gone, replaced by a white aura that seemed to simply radiate right off her body. Forget flames! She looked like she might explode any second!
Then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped, and she collapsed to the ground, in tears.
GEEZE!! What was THAT about!!??
~~~ Alex ~~~
Oh great! I'm crying! That's the last thing I need to be doing right now.
My anger had blinded me for a minute, it took me a while to remember where I was, and that Kinkilla wasn't here. Then, I just couldn't help it! All that time I had been holding it back, and it just came back to me all at once.
So what did I do? I just forgot the rest of the world, and cried myself dry. I felt stupid, but WHO CARES?? At the time, I really couldn't have cared less, but I eventually stopped, I guess... Actually, I apparently cried myself to sleep, because I didn't wake up till Tien woke me up and told me it was time to go get my gi.
I sleepily agreed, and followed. (A/N: Great! Now I'm crying!)
~~~~~~~
When we got there Jesse looked up from her magazine (What? no earphones?) and banged on the wall behind her.
It only took a few seconds for Art to poke his head out the doorway. "What is it!?!?" Jesse pointed at us and Art followed her finger. Instantly his face lightened. "You're late!"
"I know." Tien had a slight smile on his face.
"Well, it's done anyway. Come have a look!" And we followed him through the beaded door and into what looked like some kind of workroom. There was fabric all over and all sorts of scissors and other things. There must have been at least four counters full of various strings and three different sewing machines!
But the thing that really caught my eye was a little outfit in the corner of the room. My first though was 'Wonder who that's for?' Mostly because it was so little, but then I remembered that I was pretty small now, too. So, naturally I figured it was mine.
And I was right! "Well, what do you think?"
My first question was about the color. "Pink? Why pink?"
I should have remembered that I hadn't exactly specified a color, but Art explained anyway. "Well, it goes best with your requested patterns!" And, of course, he was right. The Dolphin (Very well done, by the way) stood out better than I could have expected with any other color, and the same goes for the blue flame on the back. The rest of the pattern on the back was gold stitching, with white for the feather, and a blue color was used for the iris of the eye opposite the feather.
The pink was interrupted about mid-thigh by black going from the outside and wrapping around the leg until the bottom was all black, and the same goes for the arms. And to go with the suit was a pair of shoes, they were pink with black soles and looked like they might be a part of the suit itself.
"Well, try it on!"
"Uh, sure." I took it off the rack and went to the changing room.
Honestly, it took a while to figure it out, it turns out that the zipper was on the side, under the sleeve. It actually went on pretty easily, it fit like a glove and was pretty warm. The same went for the shoes, which seemed strangely sturdy, despite the lack of any kind of leather or other material normally known for making shoes. It seemed as if the whole thing was made of some kind of soft rubber and moved pretty easily, I could barely even tell it was any different than normal clothes, even the zipper fit just right!
Looking at myself in the mirror felt like looking at a total stranger (well, at this point, I guess my reflection really IS a total stranger). I looked cute, but not too cute either. The embroidery was excellently done and the overall effect was amazing!
Walking back out the only way I could describe it was, "Perfect!"
And Art was pleased. And he was excited! He was so proud of the overall effect and so proud of his work (he mentioned how well it went with my 'baby-blue' eyes) that he just HAD to take some pictures. Somehow I just knew that my pictures would end up in that little booklet of his so I posed like he told me and tried to smile, choking down my confusion and embarrassment in the progress.
"Lookin' good kid." Jesse walked in about mid-way through my 'photo-shoot' looking a bit smug. "And, uh, good job, bro."
"Is that why you came in here? Could you move your chin a little more to the side? Perfect! [Snap]"
"Uh, well, no. Actually I came in here to tell you it's almost time to close up shop."
"Oh, well thanks anyway."
"I think it's time we go." Tien stood up and walked out of the room. "I'll be outside the door when you're ready." I nodded and Art waved saying, "Later, Ten-Man."
Jesse went... somewhere, which left me and Art (Art and I?) in the workroom. And he took the opportunity to ask me a few things.
"Hey, kid. Did you do something to her today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Jesse's been, well, helpful, or more helpful than usual, at least for her, ever since this morning. I mean, she's not acting like herself... not that I'm complaining, but, are you like some kind of alien who's taken my sister hostage and replaced her with this nicer version?"
I smiled and laughed a little. "Oh no. You've exposed me! Well it looks like my plan to corner the world's Cheese markets has failed!" Art got a little laugh out of this, then I tried to answer his question. "Well, I don't know if I did or not, but don't hold it against me if I did."
He laughed a little more, then continued. "Yeah, well, don't worry about it. What could a pre-schooler tell her that would change her that much anyway?" Now he was talking to himself. "Sorry, I never should have asked. Well, anyway, why don't you go get Ten-man, I'm done here."
"Ten-Man?"
"Well, yeah! Hehe, uh, one day Jesse got his name wrong and wrote down 'Ten', so now that's his new nickname!"
"Hehe, yeeeaaah, sure, okay. Well, goodbye!" I waved goodbye and ran out to get Tien.
"Hey, Ten-man!" I greeted him teasingly, but he only grunted. "Aw whatever. Anyway, you ready to go?" He didn't answer; instead he picked up the bags and looked at me. I think he was tired, or something...
~~~ Ten-man... er, Tien ~~~
I still can't believe how powerful she is! She must be even more powerful than GOKU!! But that's impossible! She herself said that he later becomes the most powerful man in the Universe!
But then, she's not a man, is she?
~~~ Alex Again ~~~
Man, what's wrong with him? He doesn't seem like himself somehow. I don't know him all that well, but he seemed somehow, distracted?
Maybe it was something I said?
Well, whatever, I just grabbed his cape (again) and we took off (again), man, I hope I can fly on my own soon!
~~~ Tea boy ~~~
That's gotta be it! Goku is the most powerful MAN, but she's the most powerful WOMAN!! But I thought that was ChiChi!
Man, now I'm all confused...
And how does she know about the future!?
And why didn't she mention what I did? Am I dead in the future? Oh, wait; we've already gone over that, didn't we?
Geeze! If I don't stop thinking so hard about this, I'm gonna fall right out of the sky!
Wait a minute... How'd I get all the way up here?
~~~ Alex ~~~
Okay, now I know he's distracted. Did he just ask how he got all the way up here?
"Hellooo, Tien!!!" I knocked on the back of his head, trying to remind him where he was. Man I hope it worked.
"Huh? What?"
"Geeze! Don't zone out on me now! Not when we're like a mile up!"
"Oh! Yeah, sure."
"Tien?" There was still a question that was bugging me, was this whole thing reversible?
"What?"
"Uh, do you think, when you take me to Japan with you, do you think we could make a stop at Kami's Tower?"
"Why do you want to go there?"
"Well, I want to ask him a very important question... So do you think it would be alright?"
He thought about it for a moment, then answered. "I, guess I don't see why not. But, are you sure you don't want to talk to Goku?"
"No, I can't tell him or ANY of the rest of the gang about the future. If I do, it won't turn out right, and I'll probably have doomed the entire Universe. In fact, I probably have..."
"What do you mean?"
"... ... I... don't want to talk about it, at least not right now. Maybe later. But, not now."
He looked straight ahead again, but he wasn't finished with me yet... "Well, does it have to do with this Kinkilla you mentioned before?"
"Huh?" How'd he? Was I talking aloud? "Did I? Did I... uh, say that?"
"I believe the thing you said most was: 'I'll kill you, Kinkilla!' You seemed pretty mad at whoever this was. And your power..." He trailed off about there.
"What? My power..." I was trying to lead him along... hoping he wouldn't leave me hanging like that.
"Your power... I-I've... never seen anything like it before..."
"Oh! Well get used to it! You'll be feeling powers far greater than that over and over. Each one more and more incredible. Each greater than the last. It's pretty much how Goku's life is going to be for quite a while, so, get used to being surprised."
"So, those powers, come from Goku?"
"Well, mostly yeah, but it's usually the bad-guy who is most powerful first. Then they just sorta, meet the challenge, or something like that..."
"So you're saying I should put my faith in Goku..."
"No. I'm saying that Goku will be very strong, but without help, from you, and the others, even he will be simply overwhelmed... don't you dare think you can just depend on him, he can't handle everything, sometimes you'll need to just do what you feel like you need to, no matter how big or small... Trust me, Tien, you do play a pretty powerful role, I just can't be telling you what to do or it might not turn out right. As long as you don't know what's expected of you, you're free to act as if you never met someone who knew the future... which I want you to do anyway. Got it?"
I swear I could see a sweat drop on the back of his head, even though there wasn't one. "Uh, yeah, sure, I'll try to pretend like you don't exist. How's that sound?"
"Good, and as soon as you drop me off in Tokyo, the only one who can contact me is the guardian, okay? If I want to see you, I'll find you. You don't worry about how things turn out, just worry about doing what seems right."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever, future-girl..."
I heard his comment, it wasn't true, but either way, it was the way he said it, kind of like calling your parents 'Your Majesty', you know?
I felt like my gaze could drill a hole through the back of his head, which it didn't, fortunately... I still didn't feel like finding out what a fall from here would feel like...
"Well, whatever, I just hope you really can teach me to fly."
"Oh, don't worry about that! I was flying long before Goku was!"
"I know."
"Oh, right." And, well, we went 'home', or to his house, or whatever.
'Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'll learn to fly.' Then another thought came to mind. 'Or try, anyways. I hope I can fly before we go separate ways!'
~~~~~~*** The REAL End of Chapter 6 ***~~~~~~
Whoo!! That was a long one! Maybe that will make up for being gone so long!
Alex: Don't count on it!
Alex Ultra: Do you ever sleep?
Alex: Yeah! But I thought I'd stay up to see how you ended this chapter!
Alex Ultra: And to bug me...
Alex: Of course! Why else would I be around so much?
Alex Ultra: Yeah... Good Night...
Alex: Hey! Get back here!!! Don't you need to ask them what they thought?!?!
Alex Ultra: [mumbles]...
Alex: Well, I guess it's up to me!!
How do you like this chapter? Did he write it well enough? Do I sound too much like an adult in this chapter? Or maybe too much like a kid? Oh, and I assure you I didn't reveal too much to Tien, things turned out alright, didn't they?
And next chapter, uh, I think that's when I learned to fly... That's what he hinted to at the end, right? Yeah, well... Later!
Alex: Wow! You got it working!
Alex Ultra: Well, I'm not so sure. This stupid computer is ready for the junk pile!
Alex: So?
Alex Ultra: So, mostly it means that I won't be updating regularly for quite a while. Maybe we'll get a new computer...
Alex: Don't count on it!
Sorry it's been so long people; our computer's about had it (first the speakers, then the printers and cameras, and now our hard drive is making a clicking noise and only works when it feels like it!). We already sent it in for repairs and Gateway is no help whatsoever (Dude! We should get a Dell!). Well, computer problems aside, I'm going to try to keep writing, but don't be expecting regular updates like the good-old days... whatever.
Anyway, I don't own DragonBall Z or it's characters, although Alex does belong to me. (Message to all perverts: "You know what I mean!")
Alex: Well it's about time!
Alex Ultra: So sue me! ... You know what? On second thought, don't sue me!
Lawyers: Awww.
Alex Ultra: Now get out of my house. (Lawyers slowly pack up and leave.)
Alex: Where did they come from?
Alex Ultra: I don't know, they're all Vultures as far as I'm concerned.
Alex: Vultures? Out here?
Alex Ultra: The worst kind. Yep!
Alex: That reminds me!
Alex Ultra: Oh? Of what?
Alex: I'm hungry!
Alex Ultra: [Face vaults and laughs nervously] He he, I guess I should have seen that one coming!
Alex rummages through the fridge: Lets see [mumbles]... Ooh Apple Pie! Hey! Why didn't you tell me you had Apple Pie?
Alex Ultra: Would it have mattered?
Alex: No.
Alex Ultra: Exactly.
Moving on... This chapter's been swimming around in my head for a while but I haven't gotten the chance to write it, so now that I'm here, I hope it will be pretty good.
~~~~~~*** NEW CLOTHES ***~~~~~~
I got new clothes.
~~~~~~*** That's it!! ***~~~~~~
Hey, why are you all looking at me like that? What, you don't believe me? Fine! I guess I can make it a bit longer, but I can't promise anything. (Actually, I can, but I'm not going to!)
~~~~~~*** NEW CLOTHES ***~~~~~~
Well, for the second time in what seems like ten minutes I find myself uncomfortable. The first was when I realized that I was a girl; the second (and worse) time was trying to fit into Chaotzu's clothes. (A/N: Hey, does anybody know how his name is really spelled? I'll accept the name that appears most often then correct it in my writing. I had hoped I could avoid it, but I guess I hoped too much.)
Despite my now small stature (which was hard enough to get used to) Chaotzu was even smaller! But his were the closest to my size so now I was being forced to wear these funny-looking green clothes that pinch my legs and restrict my arms.
But, you know what? The most surprising part about what happened to me is that, strangely enough, even though I'm now a five-year-old girl, I somehow look like a miniature version of Goku. Of course, by that I don't mean that I look like him. Instead I mean that I look like I had been working out all my life! Well, I don't mean that my muscles are like bulging out of my shirt; I'm still feminine enough (odd concept, saying I'm still feminine when I've never been feminine before). ... ... ... GREAT!! Now I'm confused!
Okay look! I still look like a little girl, but I look like one who is very fit, okay? Rock hard muscles, but not as defined as Goku's. Got it? (A/N: Augh! Headache!)
Honestly, looking at myself in the mirror, I don't seem to look anything like Goku! For starters I've got big (BIG, like all the other dbz girls) bright blue eyes, and jet-black hair that reaches my shoulders. My hair is straight so it's not messy like it used to be, and it kind of reminds me of Bulma's hair. We've already gone over the muscular build, but none of me reminded me of Goku (through the excessive clothing I had on before I felt okay enough to look myself over, I hope I get used to this quickly, either that or get it fixed!). My feet are rather small (the only thing of Chaotzu's that fit me were his shoes). Over all, I look like I ought to, well, sorta. You know, anime.
But the odd thing is that everything has texture here. Just like the real world. Well, I guess I don't know what I expected, but it doesn't look or feel quite like it looks on TV. Basically, everything's about the same except the eyes. But then, I guess I haven't seen anyone face vault yet, but I don't expect that I will so... whatever.
Anyway, here I am. About a half-mile in the air clinging to Tien's shirt as we go to get me some clothes.
Tien had decided that I needed clothes for two reasons; first, I needed comfortable clothes for training. (He's gonna teach me to fly and stuff! Mostly stuff with my ki though.) And second, I needed some clothes for being around people (something Tien doesn't do much but I assured him that I'm eventually going to have to leave him, 'cause I can't stick around too long anyway.).
"Where are we anyway?"
Tien didn't exactly give me a straight answer. "We're headed to the nearest, uhm, what's it called again?"
"Mall?"
"Yeah, I guess." He wasn't exactly thrilled about going to a mall, but he didn't answer my question anyway.
"No! I mean where are we, really?"
"Oh, well, I don't know exactly, somewhere in America, I guess. I never was very good with geography."
"So I guess you're training in the mountains?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Despite my feeble attempts at conversation, Tien stayed fairly unresponsive. It made me glad that it wasn't Piccolo who had found me.
"We're almost there." Despite that I had never been so far up before, I don't feel the slightest bit nervous. And the only problem I could really notice with the altitude was when my ears popped.
Honestly, somehow I'd bet I could take the fall, even though I'd prefer not to try it.
We landed on the roof and went inside, only to find ourselves in a pet store.
"Squawk!!"
"Well, where do we go from here?"
Tien grunted and started walking out of the store, he looked around and pointed to a little store about three levels below us that had something like a bent barbell over the door. "That's where Chaotzu and I get our stuff."
"Okay. So where are the escalators, or do they have elevators here?"
Tien kind of looked at me funny, then he smiled nervously and kind of choked out a question. "You mean you're serious? You really CAN'T fly?" I shook my head, no. "Oh! Man!" Okay, now he's freaking me out, he's actually starting to act human! And he's reminding me of how Gohan acts around Videl! "Uh, well, I didn't take you very seriously because of how powerful you are, but if you really can't fly then I guess I should be able to teach you!" I swear, one of his eyes must be twice the size of the other right now! "But for now just hang on, flying is faster than any elevators!" Some girls passing by (and their guys carrying bags full of who-knows-what) overheard that last part and started snickering. I could only manage to wave nervously and grab Tien's cape.
I swear their eyes must have popped from their sockets when we lifted off. It sorta made me nervous and happy at the same time. I don't know how many people saw us but I was sure we surprised some and scared others at the same time.
"Well, I think we ought to be able to walk it from here!"
"Ah, mister Shinhan! How can I help you today, sir?" Some guy in a muscle shirt and well-combed hair came right up Tien and seemed to act as if he knew him pretty well.
"Hello, uh..."
"Lou, call me Lou."
"Okay, Lou. Actually, I'm here for her." He gestured to me and I walked up to 'Lou' and reached for his hand.
"Hello. I'm Alex!" I tried my best to act like the little girl I looked like, well, I guess I am one now. Whatever.
He took my hand vice versa, but I think I may have crushed his hand because his voice instantly rose an octave or two when he spoke again; it's obvious he's holding back a wince. "Well! It's apparent she takes after her father, doesn't she?" Well, if the face-vault does happen here, then this is the time for it!
Well, there wasn't any face-vaulting, but Tien did nearly trip on his own foot. "OH, NO! She's not my daughter! She's a-a... uh."
"He's gonna teach me some things! And he wants me to get some fighting clothes!"
"Oh! So she's a student! Well that makes a bit more sense doesn't it? A man as serious as you doesn't mess with the women does he?"
Tien only looked seriously into his face until he quieted down. "Can I help you, Mr. Shinhan?"
"Where's Art." It wasn't even a question, more like an order.
"Oh! Well he's on break right now! And I saw you outside and thought I'd help!" I'm sure he tried to say that matter-of-factly, but with a guy like Tien Shinhan staring you down it's rather hard to keep your nerves down.
"Oh come now, Lou! That's such a feeble excuse! He knows that I don't take my lunch break until 3:30! He is, after all, one of my regulars!" A guy probably in his teens and dressed in slacks and a bright orange t-shirt under a jean-jacket came up behind the older man and made him practically jump out of his perfectly pressed khaki jeans.
"Mister Kayana! I didn't know you were back yet! I was just greeting mister Shinhan here and..."
"Oh get off it Lou. Just go tend to the shelvers and leave this to me."
Lou only sighed in defeat and went back to the shadows of clothes from which he came.
"Another temp, Art?"
"Yeah, but he's a bit too eager. Sometimes I think he would do better in the military than in a sporting store. But anyway, what can I do for you?"
"Well, I was wondering if you could make a gi for Alex here."
"Hi."
"Uh, yeah. Anyway, she's gonna be staying with me for a while so it's going to need to be pretty strong."
"Yeah, I can imagine." Then he looked down at me (for what seemed like the first time) "Hey, you wouldn't mind having my sister measure you, would you?"
"Huh?" He gestured to some girl behind the counter. She didn't really look anything like him; she was wearing black leather and listening to... something on her headphones. It took her two minutes to notice we were staring her down, and even then it was mostly because Art snapped her headphones against her head.
"Hey! Oh, what's up bro?"
"Shut up and make yourself useful for once!"
"You mean the third time today?"
Art narrowed his eyes angrily at her, but she didn't even flinch. Instead she seemed rather happy that she had pissed him off. "So! Who's the victim? Cutie here?" Jeeze! She's acting like some kind of slut!
"No. Actually, THIS one needs measured for a gi. Do you think you can handle that?" She looked down at me and smiled a little.
"Yeah, I think I can manage to screw up again." She gave Art a sly-eye and picked me up in one arm, Art only grunted and expressed his indifference as he walked away with Tien to who knows where.
"Well, lets get you some numbers!" Well, first, I'm still not used to being light or small enough to be picked up, and second, I'm also not used to seeing the three most prevalent facets of society all in one place. You know, the famed 'yes-man' who tries to get along with everybody, the eccentric artist who does get along with everybody, and the perfect punk who seems to hate everybody. Well! My trip here seems to be going well!
Well, anyway, while she was 'getting some numbers', we had some time to talk. "Hey, what's the deal with you and your brother?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, (A/N: Alex is about to expose herself a bit here. Hold on to your seats!) from what I got out there, you two don't seem to get along too well. But it also seems as if you argue a little too much. I mean, it seems as if you purposely get on his nerves."
She looked a bit taken aback by this. "Well! Uh, hehe. Well, do you have a brother?" It kind of hurt, but I shook my head no. "Oh, well you're lucky. Art's just a bit... overbearing," for some reason, she stalled here and looked at me kind of funny. "Uh, that means that he, uh... it's kind of like when parents make you eat broccoli 'cause it's good for you. They go just a little too far."
I didn't mean to seem angry, but for just a moment I had forgotten that I was only five now. I crossed my arms and protested, "I know what it means."
I guess I must have come off as cute because she smiled at me warmly (or as warmly as she could with that nose ring and a bolt coming out of her cheek. "Well, aren't you smart?"
"You have no idea.." I rolled my eye as she measured my lower leg and wrote it down.
She looked back to me and gave me a challenging look, it said 'Oh really? Enlighten me little girl.' So, I took the challenge and explained a few things.
"Well, you're some kind of punk, and to prove it you give your well-meaning brother a hard time. You know he deserves better, but you still try your best to keep up the punk image. Your brother, on the other hand, cares about you more than he cares to admit so he keeps you around hoping you'll change and start doing things on your own. He obviously has an artistic talent and a laid-back attitude, as well as being well known and rather generous. My guess is that he is generous to a fault and will put up with you like this for a while, all the while trying to [grunt] get you out of the punk crowd and on your feet. You keep up your attitude because you don't want to end up like those nameless people in the office buildings, so instead you go out of your way to become one of those nameless punks seen on the streets, [heave] all the while fooling yourself into thinking that your trying to not fit in, when really you are fitting in with the biggest and most unpopular crowd. Augh! See? That's why I need new clothes!" (A/N: Alex got her clothes back about halfway.)
After hearing my little burst of intelligence she was speechless. Wide- eyed and motionless she just stared at me wordlessly, barely even breathing. "What? Would it make you feel better if I said 'Goo-goo, gaa- gaa'?" Her jaw moved but nothing came out. "Great! Don't tell me you're broken?"
Finally she could talk, but she was still wide eyed. "CRAP!! You sound like my psychologist!"
Now I felt like acting childish. I scratched an imaginary itch on the back of my neck, smiled nervously, laughed in the same fashion, and acted overall a lot like Gohan when he's trying to play down his strength. "Oh, really? Well, I guess I have always been pretty good with people! HAHAHA! Hahaha, uh, hehe." I call it 'playing a Gohan', and this was one of the first times that I hadn't done it on purpose!
What's-her-name (no, really, I still don't know her name at this point!) rubbed her forehead and slowly smiled. Soon she was laughing (not in hysterics, just laughing). "You know, I came today thinking it would be boring! But after I get the talking of a lifetime from a little girl less than half my age, it sorta makes my whole life seem boring! And you know what the weirdest thing is?" She didn't wait for an answer. "It sounds a lot like the same thing I get from the guys with Ph.D.'s but this is the first time I can't think of a way to argue!"
"And that's, funny?"
"Oh, sorry, this is just the way I deal with weird stuff. When you're around Tien Shinhan as much as we are, you need to know how to handle the weird stuff."
"Like his third eye?"
"Exactly! And the little girl he brought in one day who gave me the lecture of a lifetime." Well, I think I either made a positive impact on her, or I may have driven her to the loony bin.
After a short laugh she calmed down and looked at me. But she didn't say anything, what could she say?
But I had a couple things to say. "So. What's your name?"
She smiled at me again and got up. "You're a good kid, but we're done here. So let's go get Art, 'kay?" Suddenly she picked me up in one arm and we walked out to get Art. Well, that answers my second question. "And my name's Jesse." And that answers my first.
~~~~~~
"Here you go." Jesse handed a piece of paper to Art, who looked it over only slightly and went back to dealing with a customer, who seemed engrossed with a piece of shimmering gold fabric.
Looking around I quickly noticed Tien in the corner, sitting quietly as usual, probably meditating. So I went over and tried to talk to him.
"So, Tien, uh, do you come here often?"
"Yes."
Man I suck at this. "Right." See?
"Are you done here?"
"I don't know, I guess so."
"Wait! What kind do you want?" Art finished with his customer and came up to us.
"Huh? Aren't they all the same?"
"No. You gotta tell me what to make it look like, otherwise I can't make it right."
"I don't know, what do you think Tien?"
"It's up to you."
"Well, uh, what do I have to choose from?"
Art pulled out a little book and handed it to me. "I don't normally make them for girls your age, so the selection's a bit limited." When I opened it to the right page (I nearly went to the 'Teens' section, then I remembered that I'm not, anymore, uh, whatever, you get the idea) all I saw was two pages. On one was a little girl about my age in a black jumpsuit that said 'Cute' across the front and had nifty stripes down the sides, but that was kind of plain so I looked at the other one. The other one looked like the same girl except that she was wearing a bright yellow jumpsuit with a red dragon going over the shoulder and down the front of the shirt, the pants had some kind of design on it and the back said "Your logo here" in gold lettering.
And we have a winner! "I like this one, except not in that color. And instead of a dragon can you put something else?"
"What do you have in mind?"
"I like dolphins!"
"I think we can do that. Anything else?"
"Uh..."
"What do you think we should put here?" He was referring to the 'Your logo here' spot on the back, and of course, he was talking to Tien.
But Tien only shrugged and told him to ask me. "Uh, well," It only took a couple seconds for an idea to hit me. "I know! Do you have some paper?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, wait here for a second!" He was about to run off but his sister stopped him and handed me a piece of paper and a pencil. "Uh, never mind."
"Thanks!" I took the paper and looked at it for a second or two. Then I took the pencil and started drawing.
When I was finished I had a design I was satisfied with. Overall it looked like a star with four points and little designs over each arm. Over the top arm I had what looked like a little flame (I wanted it blue), over the left arm was a feather type thingy, over the right arm was some kind of eye, and over the bottom arm was an open hand. And to wrap it all up, in the middle I had a star pattern; it looked like a star inside a star inside a star inside a star, four stars, the three smaller ones inside the others.
I handed it to Art and he looked it over, and looked back to me. "What made you come up with this?" Then he flashed a silly smile. "Wouldn't you like some kind of pattern instead?" I shook my head no. "Well then would you mind telling me why you want it this way?" I smiled and took the paper from him; I thought he'd never ask, this design has quite a bit of meaning for me.
First, I pointed to the blue flame over the top arm. "This is the soul." Then I went to the feather on the left arm. "This is the spirit." Over to the eye. "This is the mind." And then I went to the hand. "And this is the body." Then I motioned to indicate the four-armed star. "The big star is the person, and the smaller stars are the center, as well as being the lines between the arms."
Art only blinked a couple times then threw his head back and laughed. "Well, I guess that makes sense. But it's not exactly what I expected!"
"What did you expect?"
"Well, [haha] I kind of expected you to say 'Cause it's pretty!'"
I smiled. "Oh! Well that too!"
It took him a little bit to calm down a bit. "Okay, well, it's going to take a while to finish your gi so if you come back around, uh, 9ish?"
"Sure." Tien stood up and motioned for me to go with him, and I followed. Art had already left, where to? I don't know, but I assumed he was working on my gi (gi?).
~~~~~~
Tien grunted as he paid for my clothes, it was a small pile, really, considering I was replacing my ENTIRE wardrobe!
I had six shirts (two sweaters and four T's) and seven pairs of pants (three pairs of jeans, one pair of sweats, and three pairs of shorts, all of which seemed too cute for my taste, but I didn't have much choice, honestly, I thought I looked pretty good in them!). And, of course, I had some, uh, underpants, THEY were the hardest to pick out the right size for! (As you can imagine, I'm sure.) I also got a pair of leather work-gloves (I was lucky to find a pair to fit my tiny hands.) and two pairs of shoes (one pair of tennis-shoes, and one pair of Sandals), keeping in mind that I was going to be doing a lot with them.
"Did you get enough?" Tien looked more annoyed than angry, probably because we were in Wal-Mart and it was all pretty cheap (the whole thing for under $100). So I answered his question as honestly as I could.
"Geeze! I hope so!" I had a silly smile slapped on my face as I hung off the side of the checkout counter looking at my new wardrobe. I swear, I must be acting more and more like a child by the minute!
"Well, we've got another couple of hours to waste, so what do you want to do?"
"Hmm. Well, first I would LIKE to get out of these tight clothes, but then maybe we can find some way to pass the time?" I gave him a quick wink and he blinked confusedly.
"Uh... okay?" We picked up the bags and headed back to the main area.
"Can you wait here for a minute?"
"Why?"
"'Cause I'm gonna go change! Be right back!" I ran off to the nearest restroom (making sure to go in the right one) and quickly changed into a red sweater and jeans. Quickly because it's still rather unnerving as to what I am now.
When I saw Tien again he was floating about two feet off the ground (a fact that was hidden by a bag on one side, a chair behind him, and a small tree on the other side). "I'm back!" He only grunted.
"Well, now what?"
I put on what I thought might be a sly grin (I really don't know what I look like to other people anymore..) and spoke again. "Do you mind if we go to the roof?" He only opened his eyes and looked at me. I had my reasons, "I'll tell you when we get there."
~~~~~~ On the roof ~~~~~~
"Now would you mind telling me why you took us up here?"
"Sure! Just power up for me, would you?" He was obviously very confused, apparently too confused to argue.
"Whatever you say." He put his arms to his sides and prepared to power up, and within seconds I was seeing the telltale signs of him powering up. White flames engulfed his body and he shouted a bit as his muscles bulged a bit, all this while his cape was trying to blow up and away. "How's this?" He had a taunting smirk on his face, as if to say 'You asked for it!'
"Great! Thanks! Now can I try?" Again he was confused, but he quickly powered down and nodded his head.
"Why not? Knock yourself out!"
"I hope not! It was bad enough the first time!" He held back a snicker but I protested, telling that I was serious.
"Whatever."
I rolled my eyes and assumed the position. Then I put my arms down at my sides, without flexing them.
I tried to stay calm, without flexing a single muscle I searched for my ki. I had done this many times before, but this time I was careful not to go overboard, I now had more energy than I was used to, so I went slowly.
Rather than picturing the flames around me, like many people do, I had gotten used to simply feeling it around me, then spinning it around me. Soon I could feel it coming in force; I could feel it spinning around me, which was no different than normal, except that this time my hair was blowing in the same direction. Up and around my head.
It wasn't until I got a nose-full of hair that I opened my eyes. Yup! My ki was definitely visible this time! Not only that, but Tien looked as if he was watching a ghost materialize out of mid-air!
Then I thought 'Why not? I did it before! Maybe I'll have more control this time?' So, I put my arms into the flexing position, spread my feet a bit further, bent my knees, and started pulling as hard as I could.
Immediately a flood of ki erupted from somewhere inside me, I felt as if I might even be more powerful than when I was trying to fight Kinkilla!
Kinkilla. He killed them, he killed them all! That beast! I'LL KILL HIM!!!
Suddenly memories started rushing back to me. And, as before, I started getting angry. I flexed my muscles as tight as they would go and pulled my ki close to me.
~~~ Tien Shinhan ~~~
How? How can she be so powerful? And now she looks positively PISSED!!
Maybe this isn't the right place to be.
"Uh, are you alright?" I know it was weak, but I couldn't think of anything else to say! What could I say?
Then she started mumbling something. "I'll... kill... you!" Now she's crying, MAN I wish I could read people like Chaotzu! "All dead! All of them!... Nothing... nothing..."
Oh, shoot. Now she's starting to scare me!
"I'LL KILL YOU!!!!! KINKILLAAAAAA!!!!!!!" Suddenly her ki simply skyrocketed, the only time I felt that much ki coming from one person was when Goku last fought Piccolo! "I SWEAR IT!!!!! I'LL KILL YOOOOUUUU!!!!!!"
Now the flames were gone, replaced by a white aura that seemed to simply radiate right off her body. Forget flames! She looked like she might explode any second!
Then, as quickly as it had started, it stopped, and she collapsed to the ground, in tears.
GEEZE!! What was THAT about!!??
~~~ Alex ~~~
Oh great! I'm crying! That's the last thing I need to be doing right now.
My anger had blinded me for a minute, it took me a while to remember where I was, and that Kinkilla wasn't here. Then, I just couldn't help it! All that time I had been holding it back, and it just came back to me all at once.
So what did I do? I just forgot the rest of the world, and cried myself dry. I felt stupid, but WHO CARES?? At the time, I really couldn't have cared less, but I eventually stopped, I guess... Actually, I apparently cried myself to sleep, because I didn't wake up till Tien woke me up and told me it was time to go get my gi.
I sleepily agreed, and followed. (A/N: Great! Now I'm crying!)
~~~~~~~
When we got there Jesse looked up from her magazine (What? no earphones?) and banged on the wall behind her.
It only took a few seconds for Art to poke his head out the doorway. "What is it!?!?" Jesse pointed at us and Art followed her finger. Instantly his face lightened. "You're late!"
"I know." Tien had a slight smile on his face.
"Well, it's done anyway. Come have a look!" And we followed him through the beaded door and into what looked like some kind of workroom. There was fabric all over and all sorts of scissors and other things. There must have been at least four counters full of various strings and three different sewing machines!
But the thing that really caught my eye was a little outfit in the corner of the room. My first though was 'Wonder who that's for?' Mostly because it was so little, but then I remembered that I was pretty small now, too. So, naturally I figured it was mine.
And I was right! "Well, what do you think?"
My first question was about the color. "Pink? Why pink?"
I should have remembered that I hadn't exactly specified a color, but Art explained anyway. "Well, it goes best with your requested patterns!" And, of course, he was right. The Dolphin (Very well done, by the way) stood out better than I could have expected with any other color, and the same goes for the blue flame on the back. The rest of the pattern on the back was gold stitching, with white for the feather, and a blue color was used for the iris of the eye opposite the feather.
The pink was interrupted about mid-thigh by black going from the outside and wrapping around the leg until the bottom was all black, and the same goes for the arms. And to go with the suit was a pair of shoes, they were pink with black soles and looked like they might be a part of the suit itself.
"Well, try it on!"
"Uh, sure." I took it off the rack and went to the changing room.
Honestly, it took a while to figure it out, it turns out that the zipper was on the side, under the sleeve. It actually went on pretty easily, it fit like a glove and was pretty warm. The same went for the shoes, which seemed strangely sturdy, despite the lack of any kind of leather or other material normally known for making shoes. It seemed as if the whole thing was made of some kind of soft rubber and moved pretty easily, I could barely even tell it was any different than normal clothes, even the zipper fit just right!
Looking at myself in the mirror felt like looking at a total stranger (well, at this point, I guess my reflection really IS a total stranger). I looked cute, but not too cute either. The embroidery was excellently done and the overall effect was amazing!
Walking back out the only way I could describe it was, "Perfect!"
And Art was pleased. And he was excited! He was so proud of the overall effect and so proud of his work (he mentioned how well it went with my 'baby-blue' eyes) that he just HAD to take some pictures. Somehow I just knew that my pictures would end up in that little booklet of his so I posed like he told me and tried to smile, choking down my confusion and embarrassment in the progress.
"Lookin' good kid." Jesse walked in about mid-way through my 'photo-shoot' looking a bit smug. "And, uh, good job, bro."
"Is that why you came in here? Could you move your chin a little more to the side? Perfect! [Snap]"
"Uh, well, no. Actually I came in here to tell you it's almost time to close up shop."
"Oh, well thanks anyway."
"I think it's time we go." Tien stood up and walked out of the room. "I'll be outside the door when you're ready." I nodded and Art waved saying, "Later, Ten-Man."
Jesse went... somewhere, which left me and Art (Art and I?) in the workroom. And he took the opportunity to ask me a few things.
"Hey, kid. Did you do something to her today?"
"What do you mean?"
"Jesse's been, well, helpful, or more helpful than usual, at least for her, ever since this morning. I mean, she's not acting like herself... not that I'm complaining, but, are you like some kind of alien who's taken my sister hostage and replaced her with this nicer version?"
I smiled and laughed a little. "Oh no. You've exposed me! Well it looks like my plan to corner the world's Cheese markets has failed!" Art got a little laugh out of this, then I tried to answer his question. "Well, I don't know if I did or not, but don't hold it against me if I did."
He laughed a little more, then continued. "Yeah, well, don't worry about it. What could a pre-schooler tell her that would change her that much anyway?" Now he was talking to himself. "Sorry, I never should have asked. Well, anyway, why don't you go get Ten-man, I'm done here."
"Ten-Man?"
"Well, yeah! Hehe, uh, one day Jesse got his name wrong and wrote down 'Ten', so now that's his new nickname!"
"Hehe, yeeeaaah, sure, okay. Well, goodbye!" I waved goodbye and ran out to get Tien.
"Hey, Ten-man!" I greeted him teasingly, but he only grunted. "Aw whatever. Anyway, you ready to go?" He didn't answer; instead he picked up the bags and looked at me. I think he was tired, or something...
~~~ Ten-man... er, Tien ~~~
I still can't believe how powerful she is! She must be even more powerful than GOKU!! But that's impossible! She herself said that he later becomes the most powerful man in the Universe!
But then, she's not a man, is she?
~~~ Alex Again ~~~
Man, what's wrong with him? He doesn't seem like himself somehow. I don't know him all that well, but he seemed somehow, distracted?
Maybe it was something I said?
Well, whatever, I just grabbed his cape (again) and we took off (again), man, I hope I can fly on my own soon!
~~~ Tea boy ~~~
That's gotta be it! Goku is the most powerful MAN, but she's the most powerful WOMAN!! But I thought that was ChiChi!
Man, now I'm all confused...
And how does she know about the future!?
And why didn't she mention what I did? Am I dead in the future? Oh, wait; we've already gone over that, didn't we?
Geeze! If I don't stop thinking so hard about this, I'm gonna fall right out of the sky!
Wait a minute... How'd I get all the way up here?
~~~ Alex ~~~
Okay, now I know he's distracted. Did he just ask how he got all the way up here?
"Hellooo, Tien!!!" I knocked on the back of his head, trying to remind him where he was. Man I hope it worked.
"Huh? What?"
"Geeze! Don't zone out on me now! Not when we're like a mile up!"
"Oh! Yeah, sure."
"Tien?" There was still a question that was bugging me, was this whole thing reversible?
"What?"
"Uh, do you think, when you take me to Japan with you, do you think we could make a stop at Kami's Tower?"
"Why do you want to go there?"
"Well, I want to ask him a very important question... So do you think it would be alright?"
He thought about it for a moment, then answered. "I, guess I don't see why not. But, are you sure you don't want to talk to Goku?"
"No, I can't tell him or ANY of the rest of the gang about the future. If I do, it won't turn out right, and I'll probably have doomed the entire Universe. In fact, I probably have..."
"What do you mean?"
"... ... I... don't want to talk about it, at least not right now. Maybe later. But, not now."
He looked straight ahead again, but he wasn't finished with me yet... "Well, does it have to do with this Kinkilla you mentioned before?"
"Huh?" How'd he? Was I talking aloud? "Did I? Did I... uh, say that?"
"I believe the thing you said most was: 'I'll kill you, Kinkilla!' You seemed pretty mad at whoever this was. And your power..." He trailed off about there.
"What? My power..." I was trying to lead him along... hoping he wouldn't leave me hanging like that.
"Your power... I-I've... never seen anything like it before..."
"Oh! Well get used to it! You'll be feeling powers far greater than that over and over. Each one more and more incredible. Each greater than the last. It's pretty much how Goku's life is going to be for quite a while, so, get used to being surprised."
"So, those powers, come from Goku?"
"Well, mostly yeah, but it's usually the bad-guy who is most powerful first. Then they just sorta, meet the challenge, or something like that..."
"So you're saying I should put my faith in Goku..."
"No. I'm saying that Goku will be very strong, but without help, from you, and the others, even he will be simply overwhelmed... don't you dare think you can just depend on him, he can't handle everything, sometimes you'll need to just do what you feel like you need to, no matter how big or small... Trust me, Tien, you do play a pretty powerful role, I just can't be telling you what to do or it might not turn out right. As long as you don't know what's expected of you, you're free to act as if you never met someone who knew the future... which I want you to do anyway. Got it?"
I swear I could see a sweat drop on the back of his head, even though there wasn't one. "Uh, yeah, sure, I'll try to pretend like you don't exist. How's that sound?"
"Good, and as soon as you drop me off in Tokyo, the only one who can contact me is the guardian, okay? If I want to see you, I'll find you. You don't worry about how things turn out, just worry about doing what seems right."
"Yeah, sure. Whatever, future-girl..."
I heard his comment, it wasn't true, but either way, it was the way he said it, kind of like calling your parents 'Your Majesty', you know?
I felt like my gaze could drill a hole through the back of his head, which it didn't, fortunately... I still didn't feel like finding out what a fall from here would feel like...
"Well, whatever, I just hope you really can teach me to fly."
"Oh, don't worry about that! I was flying long before Goku was!"
"I know."
"Oh, right." And, well, we went 'home', or to his house, or whatever.
'Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'll learn to fly.' Then another thought came to mind. 'Or try, anyways. I hope I can fly before we go separate ways!'
~~~~~~*** The REAL End of Chapter 6 ***~~~~~~
Whoo!! That was a long one! Maybe that will make up for being gone so long!
Alex: Don't count on it!
Alex Ultra: Do you ever sleep?
Alex: Yeah! But I thought I'd stay up to see how you ended this chapter!
Alex Ultra: And to bug me...
Alex: Of course! Why else would I be around so much?
Alex Ultra: Yeah... Good Night...
Alex: Hey! Get back here!!! Don't you need to ask them what they thought?!?!
Alex Ultra: [mumbles]...
Alex: Well, I guess it's up to me!!
How do you like this chapter? Did he write it well enough? Do I sound too much like an adult in this chapter? Or maybe too much like a kid? Oh, and I assure you I didn't reveal too much to Tien, things turned out alright, didn't they?
And next chapter, uh, I think that's when I learned to fly... That's what he hinted to at the end, right? Yeah, well... Later!