YES!! I finally got this chapter out!!! This chapter is dedicated to Kitsune Maxwell, Jade Phoenix, and Dracon. These three are probably annoyed with me by now. They have been happily reading this fic since July of 2001 when I actually started working on it. They have seen multiple versions (as in about 5 or 6 now) and helped to correct huge flaws. Moreover, they are always there to keep me writing. Thanks guys!
Please enjoy the read, and please take the time to review when you are done reading.
Chapter 29
What was I thinking?!?!
Thursday June 19
About 7 pm
Roshi sat at his desk glaring at the open book before him. Grabbing his pen, he started writing furiously.
The Journal of Son Roshi, June 19.
Of women and sweet smiles or humble tears
AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! That is all I have to say right now. Ok, so it is not all I have to say right now. What was I thinking? I swear I am an idiot of monumental proportions. Ok, this rant is going to mean nothing to me in a few years, so I guess I should start from the top and actually try to make some sense out of why I am ranting.
It all started on Tuesday. Ichigo was acting funny. Funny as in nice. Funny as in not mad. Funny as in innocent. That girl ain't Innocent.
Ok, the real difference was that she was being humble. I guess it bothered me that someone so arrogant and so proud could be brought so low so fast. Heck, I still feel responsible for what happened to her on Monday. Had I not fallen asleep, she would not have had to suffer so badly. I feel guilty for what happened to her. I feel guilty for being glad that it has made her more tolerable as of late. I feel guilty. I can't stand feeling guilty.
Moreover, I am the one who saved her life and let her live. I know that this was the right action, but it makes me responsible for her. I should have been the one to blow up the moon Monday night. I knew what that action meant and who would die and the price that would be paid. She did not.
So when she humbly asked me to help her on Tuesday, how could I resist? When she tried to hold back tears and keep her emotions in check, how could I not help her?
I had to. There was nothing else to do. So I helped her. And I tried to cheer her up. And one thing led to another. And she stopped looking so fragile and humble, and started smiling. And sweet innocent smiles are anything but innocent when found on her face. And things happened. And now my life is over.
I should have known something was up when she agreed to wear those clothes this morning. I should have. She just smiled sweetly at me and told me to wait for her. NOTE TO SELF: When a girl smiles at you sweetly, whether it be Slip, or Ichigo, or Mariah, Kit, or my mother, or Jane Doe or whatever her name may be, RUN AWAY YOU STUPID IDIOT!!! Sweet smiles get you into trouble. Sweet smiles are evil and bad and confusing and just downright irresistible. AND I HATE IT!
He couldn't think of what to write next. So, Roshi put down his pen and sighed. 'Why me? What on Earth was I thinking?' Roshi groaned and flopped onto his bed. "I wasn't thinking, and that is the problem. At least my dad will be back tomorrow morning. Then Dende can start his training and the world can just go on like normal." He spoke to the poster on his ceiling.
Roshi closed his eyes and thought about what had happened the last several days. 'What was I thinking?'
* * *
Tuesday,
"Maybe, just maybe, if this Dende you mentioned can actually train us to do that Kaioken. Then maybe I will be able to save my people." Ichigo said.
"That is the only thing we can allow ourselves to hope for." Roshi said back with a smile.
Ichigo was silent for a few minutes. She then got up and walked over to the speakers. "Do you have any more music like this?" She asked, "my people are not encouraged to create works of art and music that seem to be so prevalent on this world. There is nothing like this on Saiya. It has such power, yet is graceful and soothing and beautiful." She said turning back towards the stereo.
Roshi jumped up, "ah, yeah here, you should like this, hmmm, oh and this, and this." He said grabbing Vangelis "Chariots of Fire", Gustav Holst's "The Planets", a collection of Goa, as well as the memory stick that was currently playing. "There should be a computer, or stereo that accepts these memory sticks over in Pan's old room." He said handing her the three memory sticks.
Ichigo took them with a slight smile. She then sighed as she turned to look up at Roshi. "I tried to meditate today, but I couldn't seem to focus. Could you help me now? She asked quietly.
Roshi was surprised. She was actually asking for help rather then demanding it.
"Ah, I would be happy to try, but are you sure that now is the best time for that? You've been through a lot and I don't know if we should really be pushing things." Roshi said to her while absentmindedly glancing back to his computer. 'That and I really need to call Mariah and Kit, or better yet just fly into town and see them. Especially Mariah. Knowing her, she is probably blowing things way way out of proportion.' Roshi almost laughed when he caught sight of Ichigo looking at him. 'Then again, the truth in this situation may be worse then whatever Mariah can dream up.'
"I... I think it would help me if we were to practice now. I want something to focus on other then what happened last night and the... the dreams I have been having since leaving home." Ichigo said softly.
'Damn! Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn! I owe it to Mariah and Kit to talk to them, but I can't help feeling responsible for what has happened to Ichigo.' Roshi got up and walked over to the alcove where he kept his Dragonball. Looking at it for a moment he made up his mind. 'The Dragonballs are not here, so I have to rely on myself. I cannot forget about my friends, but right now the very safety of the Earth may depend on how well I can train with Ichigo. Since she is asking for help, and genuinely humbling herself now, I dare not refuse.'
"Ah, I would be happy to try to help you." He said turning to walk towards the door. "Take those back over to Pan's and meet me out in front of the house."
A few minutes later they were standing near a waterfall off in the middle of the woods. "Ok, I guess I should ask what you are having problems with first. So ah what are you having problems with?" Roshi asked.
Ichigo looked like she was having trouble deciding what she was going to say. "Well, I just don't get what I am supposed to be sensing while I meditate. I really never meditated at all at home and I am not very good at it."
'This may be harder then I originally thought.' "Ah ok, just sit down in the grass here so you are comfortable."
Ichigo apprehensively sat down and then looked up at Roshi.
"Ok, ah," 'I don't really have a fricking clue what I am doing.' "Ok, here, close your eyes and after I get done talking block out all sounds. Relax, let your worries and apprehensions flow out. Don't think about things, just relax and be at peace. Listen only to your own breathing and the beating of your heart. Then once you are at peace with yourself, expand your senses. Keep your eyes closed, but listen to and feel the life around you."
Ichigo slowly calmed herself. Roshi could sense her ki slowly ebbing away. After a few minutes it stabilized and stopped dropping. Roshi decided that she was right around 3,000 or so. Since she did not seem to be falling asleep like Tee always did, Roshi slowly walked away and sat on a boulder overlooking the canyon and the lake the waterfall fell into. The sun was slowly setting, casting the sky in shades of purples, reds, and oranges. An eagle, one of a pair that Roshi had been watching for many years, slowly circled overhead. After a bit the crickets started chirping.
Roshi exhaled deeply. 'This is why my family has never moved into the city. One can never really know what it means to be at peace until they have seen a night like tonight.'
When Roshi caught sight of Venus starting to twinkle in the evening sky he decided to walk back over to Ichigo. As he approached she opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Looking over to him she smiled freely. The moist glint of tears of joy sparkled in her gray-blue eyes.
"I can feel you. I could feel you sitting over there on a rock. And there was this huge bird. I couldn't see it because I didn't open my eyes, but I could SEE it! It flew gracefully in circles before landing in a nest over there! It has two babies and then there's a creature of some sort over behind the waterfall in a cave. It's big and it has been watching us the whole time we were here! And..."
'Oh Dende I've crated a monster!' Roshi thought as he held his hand up to stop Ichigo's joyous talking. 'Dende, I don't think I can handle knowing another girl who goes off on things as much as Slip.' Glancing over at the eagle's nest, he realized that he had stopped following it and had not even realized that the pair of eagles were raising young. Reaching out he found the two young birds just as Ichigo had described them. 'I knew she would catch on to this if I gave her the time, but I didn't expect her to catch on so well.'
Seeing that Ichigo was barely containing herself, Roshi decided to call his "surprise" over to them. "Icarus, Come her Icarus!" He yelled out to Gohan's old pet dragon. The purple dragon flew out from its waterfall lair and landed next to Roshi giving him an immediate tongue bath. "Ack! Icarus stop!" Roshi screamed trying to get away from the dragon.
Icarus had grown over the years. He was now about 3 meters tall and about 4 and a half long. Roshi had no idea how long dragons lived, but Icarus didn't seem to be anything other then a hyperactive puppy when one thought about it.
"Ahh, what is that?" Ichigo screamed as Icarus sat down to look at her as if trying to figure out if she was safe to eat, or at the very least lick.
"This is Icarus. It is Gohan's pet dragon."
"I thought it was one of those furry brown things you had following you around the other morning.
"Furry brown... Oh, my dogs! No, but probably just as much of a pet, Icarus is almost one of the family now, he has been around so long." Roshi said as he climbed up onto Icarus's back and started scratching it. Icarus almost purred. After a bit, Roshi held out his hand, "common, climb up here, Icarus can take us for a ride."
Ichigo looked at him with genuine surprise. She took two steps back and shook her head quickly. "I... I don't think so."
"Ah, come on, it'll be fun. Don't tell me you are afraid of a little old dragon." Roshi kidded.
"It's not that." She said defensively. "It just wouldn't be right."
"What's not right? Having a little fun every now and then? Look, I know you have been through a lot these past few days, but you also need to relax and enjoy yourself some." Roshi said still holding his hand out.
Ichigo chewed on her bottom lip. Roshi had seen her doing that before, anytime she was trying to think something through, she had the unconscious habit of sucking on her bottom lip and biting her lip. She never actually bit herself to draw blood, but it was a rather odd quirk.
"Ichigo, I know this is hard, but please, trust me." Roshi said still holding his arm out.
She looked away as if she was embarrassed about something. After a few moments, she looked back up and into Roshi's eyes. "Ok, I guess." She finally said as she grabbed his hand and pulled herself on behind him. She sat a good deal back from him and braced herself by grabbing his shoulders straight-armed.
"Ready?"
"I guess." She said reluctantly.
"Ok, now lower your ki, and try to feel the world around you as we do this. Do not try to fly, just trust in Icarus." Roshi said as he tapped Icarus into flight.
Ichigo's hands tightened almost enough to leave bruises in Roshi's shoulder as Icarus jumped off the cliff and swooped straight at the lake in a deep dive. After about fifty meters, he pulled up sharply and shot over the lake dragging his feet in the water throwing up a mist of water droplets over both Roshi and Ichigo. Icarus then climbed straight at the North Star. Ichigo relaxed and actually started laughing as they looped among a few pillow clouds. At that elevation Roshi could see all the way to Satan City. With the moon missing only the rare light and the twinkling of the stars lit the ground as they shot over the remains of Mount Frypan and soon reached the Ocean.
Roshi was temped to have Icarus land at Videl's Lookout, but he realized that that was completely inappropriate. The Lookout held a certain romantic significance. It was were he was hoping to take Mariah for a picnic on Friday. As Ichigo shrieked in delight as Icarus looped over a cloud and then spiraled towards the ground, he found he was enjoying the time he was spending with her, but to take those thoughts any further would be completely wrong. Especially after what had just happened to her.
'Besides,' he thought, 'This is just an attempt to cheer her up. You mean dirt to her and you had best remember that. Regardless of what she may be acting like now she is dangerous and would be more likely to rip your heart out and eat it then... I need to stop thinking about this sort of thing. Mariah is sweet and nice and smart and kind and happy and stable. Everything you need and nothing you don't want.' He scolded himself.
Ichigo leaned forward some and spoke into Roshi's ear. "This dragon can fly almost as fast as we can."
Roshi turned his head. "Yeah, he is a lot faster then the Kintoun, but he shows up on scouters, and people who can sense ki can sense him. That, and the fact that he is a lot more noticeable then a small yellow cloud cause me to use the Kintoun more often, but this is more fun. Nothing like the wind in your hair and the vertigo of freefall when you don't have your own ki bubble to block the wind, or hold you up."
Ichigo didn't respond, but he could tell by her smile that she was having fun.
Icarus suddenly pulled a wingover and started to spiral towards the ocean. "Take a deep breath," Roshi warned moments before they dove through the surface of the ocean. The ocean was dark and Roshi couldn't see much, but after a few moments, Icarus broke the surface and flew over the top of the waves. Icarus slowed and let a pod of dolphins jump and swim along side them for a while before turning toward home.
After what seemed like just a few short moments, they were once again on the ledge overlooking the waterfall. Roshi jumped off and watched as Icarus almost bucked Ichigo off in an attempt to spin around and face Roshi. "Thanks boy. Here you go." Roshi said opening up a large drum of chocolate ice cream for the hungry dragon. Roshi really didn't know what dragons normally ate. Icarus ate anything and everything Roshi ate. Long ago, someone had discovered that the dragon had a particular fancy towards chocolate ice cream.
Ichigo laughed at the sight of the purple dragon covering its face in melted ice cream as it ate like a toddler. She turned to look at Roshi who was distracted watching Icarus eat.
"Thank you" Ichigo said. Roshi started to turn to face her. The next thing Roshi knew, Ichigo had hugged him. She hugged him and then jumped back mouth gaping open almost as if she was more shocked by her action then Roshi was.
She was standing in the shadows of the trees, so Roshi couldn't tell if she was blushing or not, but he was fairly sure she was. Ichigo blinked several times and then closed her mouth, "I'm tired. I am going to bed." She said as she quickly turned and walked away.
'What was that?' Roshi thought as he watched her head back down the path towards the estate too shocked to even move. 'She hugged me.'
It was well past 11 pm when Roshi got to his room to go to bed. Confused and not overly aware, Roshi never even thought about returning those calls to Kit or Mariah.
Several hours later, he was still pondering that one electric moment. It would be almost dawn before he fell asleep that night.
* * *
Wednesday
Wednesday was weird. There was this thing between the two of them. Roshi could feel it. Ichigo didn't want anything to do with him and was back to her old "normal" self. She didn't want to meditate. She said that she wanted to spar. So they spared. Roshi was trying to take it easy since it was supposed to be a rest day, but Ichigo wouldn't have any of that. When Roshi refused to pick it up, Ichigo blew up and stormed off to Pan's house.
He followed to see if there was anything he could do, but when he got to the door she told him in no uncertain terms that she would not be talking to him for the rest of the day... She hit him in the face with a Ki Punch.
It was 10 am and his right eye was starting to swell shut. Roshi walked back to his house and grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. 'What's up with her? I didn't do anything and she is being a total bitch today. Heh, probably just her normal personality back. Since she is no longer in shock she has control over her mindset again.'
Roshi thought wistfully about the previous night. 'Like I warned myself, I need to patch things up with Mariah and stop thinking about Ichigo. I doubt she even knows what love is. Heck, if she does know, it is probably one of those things that a "Warrior" such as herself would never be allowed to express.'
Roshi got a hold of Kit's mother when he called her house. Kit's mother had pure pearly white fur. A striking woman, one would have thought she was an albino if not for her brilliant emerald eyes.
"Oh, hello Roshi. Kit said you would probably be calling. She and Mariah took the day off from work today. They said they had some girl things to do and that they would catch up with you later. I'll tell them you called."
"Ok, um, you wouldn't know where they are? Would you?" Roshi asked apprehensively.
"Roshi, you know better then to ask that! They said they were doing GIRL stuff. I suppose you might find them at the mall. Kit always said that she thought it would be fun to see what you looked like in a prom dress." Aiko replied scoldingly.
Roshi blanched a bit. "She told you to say that didn't she?"
Kit's mother smiled and shook her head. "You know her well."
"So I take it you won't tell me where they really are?"
"She said that they needed some time alone to sort some things out. Sorry, that's all I know."
'... Time to sort things out... Why does that make me want to go hang myself?' Roshi thought before finishing the conversation. "Ok, um I guess I will talk to you later."
"Wait just a second. Roshi, what happened to your eye?"
"Ah, I got hit. I have been training this summer. Just think of it as one of the drawbacks of being a Son ok?"
"Ok, just be careful." She said before ending the call.
'All mother's are the same.' Roshi thought before getting a funny mental picture of Ichigo with a kid. 'Ok, that is just a scary thought. I would hate to see the type of mother she would make.'
Unable to dismiss the gut feeling of impending doom, Roshi thought about the nature of mother's and women in general as he finally gave up and found his own mother in her garden. He spent the rest of the day helping his mother garden, wondering what he had done wrong and what he would need to fix it.
* * *
Thursday (today)
Roshi woke early, as was his practice. He was in the middle of his morning routine of katas that he had actually faithfully done since childhood unlike some of the other skills his father had taught, when he realized that Ichigo was not in Pan's house.
Stopping his graceful movements, he paused and concentrated on trying to find her. 'My mom is already up weeding her garden. I should probably go help her.' He was about to move his search elsewhere when he sensed a very low ki off in one of the secluded areas of the garden. 'I wonder, that can't be her, the energy is too low, but who else could it be?' He thought as he slowly flew over to where he had sensed the ki.
Ichigo was sitting on a bridge in the middle of his mother's Lily garden. Water lilies floated peacefully in the koi pond below her and various other lilies dotted the landscape around her. She was in the process of braiding her hair and look as though she were at total peace.
Roshi landed on the far side of the cove the lily garden was in.
"Go away." Ichigo said bluntly as he started to walk towards her.
"No"
"Yes"
"No"
"You will do as I say!" Ichigo started to get angry.
"Yeah, or what?" Roshi said calmly.
Ichigo turned and glared at him. "I could hit you in the face again."
Roshi looked at her sagely, "Not likely, now that you warned me about it." He said with a laugh.
Ichigo glared at him. "Stop grinning at me like that!"
"Like what?" Roshi asked confused as to what she was talking about.
"Like that! That stupid lopsided smirking grin thing you always have stuck to your stupid ugly face!"
"Ouch such pain." Roshi spat sarcastically. "You know, you can drop the bitch act anytime. It is getting old. Heaven forbid you drop you armor you hide behind and actually be yourself like you were on Tuesday."
Ichigo charged at him, "I am not a bitch!"
Roshi stepped back a moment before she would have hit him and kicked her legs out from under her. She fell face first into the koi pond.
Moments later covered in pond slime and a lily pad or two, Ichigo burst from the water screaming. "No one treats me like this! You will pay for this!"
Roshi shoved her forcefully back into the water. "I know you're not nearly the bitch you act like you are, but you really need to cool down and relax." He said knowing full well that the mountain fed stream that flowed through his mother's garden was usually just a touch above freezing. At least it felt just a touch above freezing.
Ichigo came up sputtering. "You are SO DEAD!" She yelled throwing a handful of nasty pond mud at him.
Roshi easily dodged it. "Ahhh is that the best you can do?" He said with a laugh.
Ichigo bent down and grabbed another handful of mud. Which she immediately started flinging at Roshi. He dodged out of the way again only to realize that there was someone walking up behind him. Turning around he felt mud splatter across his back and he watched in horror as a glob of it slammed into his mother's face as she walked through the archway leading into this section of the garden.
Son Beth fell flat on her back from the force of the mud. 'Oh no! Nothing good can come of this,' Roshi thought as he ran to his mother's side. She was unconscious, but as far as he could tell not actually hurt.
Roshi felt Ichigo fly away. She didn't even say anything. She just took off and flew away. 'Figures,' he thought as he picked up his mother and flew to his house.
After splashing her with cold water, his mom woke up sneezed and started coughing. "Ewww, Roshi, why do I have the most disgusting mud up my nose and in the back of my mouth?" Beth asked before running over to throw up in the wastebasket.
"Ah, sorry mom. Ichigo and I were having a mud fight, and you sorta walked into it." Roshi said apologetically.
"Oh, a mud fight huh? Well you're filthy! Look at that dripping mud on my floor like that!"
"Sorry, I'll clean it up" Roshi said quickly.
"No, I need you to go to town and get some stuff. Your father will be home in the morning, and we don't have any food around here."
"Ah, ok. How soon do you need me to run to town? It is only like 7 am you know, the Farmers Market and some of the other places don't open for another few hours." Roshi asked. 'I need to figure out what to do with Ichigo. I can't very well take her to town. That would be a total disaster.'
"Oh, whenever you get around to it I guess. I just think you should go hang out with some of your friends. You have been so serious lately." She said while looking up at him with one of those parental smile look things.
"Ah, ok I guess." Roshi replied. It was all her could really say.
* * *
Roshi found Ichigo sitting on the boulder overlooking the waterfall and lake. She looked like she had been crying. She turned away from him as he walked up.
"Is... is she ok?" Ichigo asked tentatively.
"Yeah, she's fine. Just needs a nice shower to get the mud washed off."
Ichigo visibly relaxed. "Good. I... I've hurt too many people without meaning to."
"No one is perfect. Like you said, it was an accident." Roshi said quietly.
Ichigo turned to face him. "How can you say that? How can you act like nothing happened? I tried to kill you at least three times now and you act like nothing happened! People like you don't exist where I come from. You defy everything I know." She finished quietly.
'At least I know we are on the same footing. If only you knew how confusing you are.' "I can say it because I know that it is true. If I were to take offense to everything that ever wronged me, there wouldn't be much of a planet left." Roshi said back.
This brought a laugh from Ichigo. "No, I suppose not."
"Look, lets just put this all behind us and start over. Hello, I'm Son Roshi. And you are?" He asked her holding out his hand in greeting.
Ichigo laughed. "What are you doing?"
"I'm introducing myself as if we had never met. I don't know, it worked in this movie I saw once." Roshi said with a laugh.
Ichigo looked at him like he was insane. She finally asked, "What's a movie?"
Roshi sweat dropped and fell over. "Don't you people have films? Motion Pictures? Plays? Theatre? The spoken arts of any kind?" He asked incredulously.
"Well, we have historical reenactments, and documentaries, but like I said earlier, the arts are really not given much priority in my culture."
Roshi rolled his eyes. "You don't say."
Ichigo glared at him. "I do say."
Roshi held up his hands to stop any further comments. "That's what I meant. Sarcasm is also lost on you."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's not important."
"I don't care, I want to know what you mean by that!"
"Ok, fine, it is just that you take everything so seriously. You need to let a lot of things you react to just go in one ear and out the other cause they are not worth getting upset about."
Ichigo looked perturbed. "Fine. So since you refuse to actually do any training, what is on the schedule for today? More wasting time doing nothing?"
Roshi mentally sighed, 'I sure wouldn't call Tuesday a waste of time. I had fun. Which of course was the point.' "I don't know what you are going to do, but I have to go to town and get some supplies and stuff."
"Ok, I'm coming with you." Ichigo said quickly as she hopped off the boulder.
'oh no you are not! I don't need a coronary at age 17.' Roshi thought as he backed up and waved his arms. "Ah, I don't think you would like it much. Real boring, just getting some food and stuff. Nothing you would be interested in."
"Can't be worse then sitting around here. I can't even get your stupid dragon to come out of its hole." She said pointing to the waterfall.
"Well, I doubt Icarus wants to play with you right now."
Ichigo cocked and eyebrow and looked at Roshi. "Oh really, and why not?"
"Cause, you stink like fish crap and plant decay." Roshi said exaggerating her stench by holding his nose.
Ichigo turned an interesting shade of red. "Like you should talk! You're the one who shoved me in that smelly pond!"
"Yeah, but you didn't have to bathe in it!" He said laughing.
"Stop laughing at me you stupid jerk!"
"Ok fine, but you are still not going to town with me." 'You get way too riled up, I don't need some idiot setting you off and getting killed.'
Ichigo looked at him pleadingly. "Please! I've been reading those journals, I want to actually see some of the people who live on this dirt ball."
"Oh... fine, just promise not to fly or to do anything that a normal human can't do." 'Roshi that was really really stupid!'
Ichigo smiled sweetly. "I will do my best."
Roshi forced a fake smile onto his face. 'Why do I get the feeling that your best is not going to be nearly good enough? Wait! I have an idea! "Kintoun!" Roshi called.
"What are you calling that stupid cloud for?" Ichigo asked getting suspicious.
"Oh nothing." Roshi said as the cloud stopped right in front of him. "Get on." He told Ichigo.
Ichigo looked at him. "I thought we already tried this. It doesn't like me."
"Try it again."
"Ok, but if it dumps me on the ground I'll have to kick your butt." She said with a smirk.
Ichigo sat on the Kintoun. She didn't even sink.
'Guess that clears up the chance that this could all be an act by her.' Roshi thought. "Ok, well get cleaned up, I guess we will leave in about two hours or so."
Ichigo looked puzzled, "ok, I'll be ready." She said as she jumped off the cloud and started walking back to the house. She turned around and smiled at Roshi, "and if you leave me I'll just follow you so don't even think about it!"
'So much for that idea.' Roshi thought. 'That girl is going to be the death of me.'
* * *
Two hours later dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a loose fitting tee shirt, Roshi walked up the steps in Pan's old house. He was sure he had found a perfect way to keep Ichigo from coming to town with him. He casually knocked on the door where she was staying in Pan's old room.
"You may enter."
'Regal sounding' Roshi thought as he opened the door. He looked at Ichigo who was sitting casually on the bed just finishing braiding her hair for the second time that day. 'Oh my god! That must have taken forever!' He thought as he looked at her hair. Rather then the simple braid that she usually wore, Ichigo had braided her hair into what looked like hundreds of little braids no thicker then a shoelace. She had then braided that into three long braids. The two outer braids were looped and then tied back to the back of her head in a loose bun thing, with the middle one trailing down her back like normal.
"You can close your mouth. It is just the way I do my hair for processionals and crap when I know I won't be fighting." She said with a smirk.
'That looks really good... No! Bad thoughts. Don't even go there.' Roshi forced his mouth closed. "Ah ok, that looks nice, but you can't wear that gi if we are going to town." He said putting his plan into effect.
Ichigo grimaced. "Well I have nothing else to wear. Unless you want me wearing my actual battle armor." She said pointing to the armor and cape, which were lying on the floor in a corner.
"Ah, no. I am sure we can find something that will fit you in either Pan's closet, or from the stuff my mom used to wear but never threw out." Roshi said knowing exactly what he was planning on "picking out".
"I don't see why I can't wear this, but alright." Ichigo said.
'There is no way she will agree to wear this stuff.' Roshi thought as he grabbed a bright red half-shirt and short sleeved denim jacket from Pan's closet. "Hmmm, you're too tall for the pants and stuff in there, but these should fit." He said as he handed the shirt and jacket to Ichigo.
She looked at the two items like they were a coiled viper waiting to strike. "Um..." She mumbled before Roshi started talking again.
"And we can get you some pants or something from my mom's old stuff." He said as he grabbed a black leather belt with silver buckle and some red socks from the shelves before walking out of the room.
Roshi was surprised when Ichigo actually followed him to his house and up to the room were his mother kept all the old stuff they never used anymore. Roshi opened a box and pulling out a denim skirt and pair of running shoes he had put there a few minutes earlier. "Here, go into the bathroom and try these on." He said as he handed them to her.
Ichigo chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds. "Ok, wait for me, I will be back shortly." She then smiled at Roshi with an odd glint in her eyes and walked out of the room.
'Oh, I did not like that smile' Roshi thought. 'Ah well, doesn't matter, as soon as she puts all that stuff on, she will freak and refuse to go.' He thought with a smile.
A few minutes later Ichigo walked out of the bathroom. The clothes fit her perfectly. The skirt ended a little above her knees, accenting her long legs. The half shirt fit like a second skin. Her slim waist, toned abs, and visible curves made it look absolutely wonderful on her. The denim jacket matched the skirt and made the outfit look far more modest, plus the denim brought out the blue of her eyes. She had also from somewhere found red and silver clips and ties for in her hair. Roshi had to fight to keep his mouth from dropping. 'WOW, she looks really... BAD BAD BAD NO THINK THOSE THOUGHTS... Remember mauled by bear, mauled by bear... She will rip your heart out and eat it without a second thought.' Roshi sweat dropped and audibly gulped.
Ichigo looked down at herself. "I don't recall Slip wearing anything like this."
"Ah well, that is because she was wearing her lab stuff. When she actually appears in public she wears stuff very much like that."
"Then why was she wearing those black pants on Tuesday when she was talking to the reporters?"
'Crap, you saw that? Ah...' "Well that is because she was trying to be more formal. This is casual dress."
Ichigo looked like she didn't believe him. "Oh, alright, I guess I am ready to go then."
'WHAT?! NO!!! You're supposed to freak out and not go! You can't come, I wanted to hunt down Mariah and Kit and if you are along then... shit!' Roshi sweat dropped again. "Ok" he said meekly.
They were just about out the door when Beth saw them. "Oh isn't that just adorable! I need a picture! My baby is growing up so fast!"
Roshi grabbed Ichigo and flew out the door faster then one can say bye!
* * *
Ichigo ripped her hand out of Roshi's grasp as soon as they were through the door.
"Don't do that!" She yelled at him as she smoothed a crease out of her skirt.
"Sorry, but I don't particularly want to have a photo shoot with my mother. We would never get out of there!"
Ichigo glared at him but said nothing.
The flight to Satan City was rather uneventful. Ichigo stayed behind and below Roshi at all times. She had mumbled something about perverts after the wind had blown her skirt up revealing the fact that she was wearing her spandex like shorts under it, but really didn't say anything else the entire flight.
They landed on deserted building that the Son family owned just for such use, and walked into the city.
Ichigo didn't say much, but Roshi could tell that she was trying to take in as many sights as she could. "That smells good," she said as they caught the first whiffs of fresh produce coming from the Farmer's Market.
"Yeah, it does. Well here we are, the Satan City area Farmer's Market and Fisherman's Warf. We can get just about everything we need here."
Tony Italia, one of the guys who ran the market and coordinated the various producers and sellers and such, saw the two of them walk through the large gates. "Mr. Roshi, long a time no see" He said in a heavily accented Italian accent. "Whata can we do-a for ya?"
Roshi gave him several capsules and a list of produce his mother wanted. "Here, I need this order filled as best as you can by... three." He said looking at his watch.
Tony looked down the list, his eyes bulging. "Ia'd be-a happy to try ta fill ya order." He said with a smile and handshake. "And would ya be interested in some flowers for the little lady?"
Roshi was sure Ichigo would have hit Tony had he not stepped between then and blocked her hand. "Ah, no, but I think we will look around and so some smaller shopping for ourselves."
"Ah a yes, so thisa is alla goin for a charity?" Tony said with a grin.
'Hmm, does feeding Ichigo count as charity?' Roshi inwardly smiled, "you could say that." Roshi said with a smile.
Tony left to organize the filling of the order Roshi had given him, so the two of them walked around various booths sampling unique foods and overall just looking at what was to be seen.
While the samples and small amount things that they bought would have more then filled a normal person, it only made Roshi hungrier. "Well, do you want to get some real food?" He asked as they walked down the street.
Ichigo didn't even pause. "Am I a Saiyan?" She smirked.
"I'll take that as a yes. Follow me." He said as he ran into an alley and started jumping from building to building faster then the human eye could follow.
A few minutes later the two of them were in the alley behind Son Chichi's. One of Goten's granddaughters had been named Chichi. The original Chichi was still alive at that point and had just been tickled pink that there was finally someone named after her. Even though the child was all of a year old when her great grandmother died, she was willed all of Chichi's many cookbooks.
Needless to say, Son Chichi's was probably one of the best restaurants on the planet.
Roshi sneaked in the back door and found Max chopping some celery. "Hey Max, is the back room free at the moment?"
Maxine Itamae was the current owner of Chichi's. She put down her knife and looked at Roshi. "Yes, thankfully it is a Thursday. If this was the weekend this place would be packed." Pulling Roshi close she continued, "so, who's the girl and are you planning on actually eating your fill in front of her?"
'Why does everyone seem to think this is a date or something?' Roshi thought.
"I am Ichigo Kudamono, and I don't see why he can't eat his fill in front of me." Ichigo said from where she stood.
Max grabbed Roshi and drug him into a corner away from the other chefs and cooks. "Ok, so is this that Saiyan girl I have been hearing rumors about? I just dismissed them until the other night. Was I seeing things or did some shmuck manage to catch you on tape fighting an Ouzaru?"
Roshi sweat dropped.
Ichigo walked over and looked at Max. "Blood Red hair? Now I think I have seen everything. I take it that since you realize that that was Roshi fighting and that you know what an Ouzaru is that you are one of his cousins."
Max brushed a hand through her hair and looked at Ichigo. "Yeah, through Goku and Chichi 500 and some odd years ago why?"
"Just because no one else on this planet seems to know anything about who you people really are."
"Yeah, and we would like to keep it that way." Roshi said eyeing the various other people who were now watching their conversations.
Max decided that the best course of action was to get them out of the kitchen. "Roshi, go to the back room, I'll start bringing stuff in a bit. Oh and you are paying for what you eat."
"I know," Roshi, replied as he led Ichigo to the private dinning room that was usually reserved for small parties and other special occasions.
"Why?" Ichigo asked.
"Why what?" Roshi replied as a waiter brought out drinks.
Ichigo waited until the man had left. "Why do you want to hide who you are? You could easily have conquered these people and be ruling like gods."
Roshi looked at her sadly. "And what would that really gain us except more problems?"
Ichigo replied quickly. "Well you wouldn't have to hide anymore, and you wouldn't have to put up with idiot people like that Ima Gossip person who keeps bashing your family."
Roshi sighed. "I can see your point, but," He stopped talking as a waiter came in with a large bowl of soup for each of them. "But, it would also be a huge hassle. I don't envy your position one bit." Roshi said calmly.
Ichigo seemed to ponder that and ate silently the rest of the meal.
* * *
After they left Chichi's, there were still several hours to kill, so Roshi decided to take Ichigo to the mall. 'Heck, if all else fails, I can have her pick out more clothes that she would actually like to wear.' A thought occurred to him, 'I hope Mariah isn't working today.'
Once in the mall, they walked past the central court where a lot of Roshi's classmates hung out.
"Hey moron! I thought you were hiding under a rock or something." Rock Snob called from over by the fountain. He turned to his buddies; Clay Jock, and Mud Petty, and said, "Probably didn't think he could get lucky twice."
'Crap, forgot about the fact that I might run into these idiots in the Mall' Roshi thought as he scanned the crowd.
"Oh shit" He mumbled as he caught sight of Mariah. Mariah sat with Niko, and Carge in a booth over to the side. Tiffany Sweet and Kit soon arrived with trays of food and started to sit down in the booth.
Scanning the crowd, Roshi also spotted Jeff and John Twin, and Jessica Smiles. Not to mention Kari Snide, Amy Priss, and Jenny Cliché.
'Great, just the group of people I wanted to run into. Dende, you are cruel.'
"I haven't paid you back for breaking my nose yet. Why don't you come out back and let me settle our differences?" Rock said tapping the nose brace he was wearing.
Roshi ignored him and walked over towards Mariah and her friends. 'Might as well get this over with now.' He smiled apprehensively over at Mariah and her friends. Mariah waved and smiled at him before seeing Ichigo walk up beside him. She then blushed, said something to Kit, and started to get up, but Niko and Carge held her down.
Rock whistled. "So Roshi, where'd you find the babe?" He asked not trying to hide the fact that he was checking Ichigo out.
Roshi sensed Ichigo's ki start to rise. 'Crap, this is what I was afraid of.' "Ah, this is Ichigo, she is just a friend."
Mariah blanched sat back down and tried to hide her face.
Roshi looked from Rock to Mariah and Kit and then over to Ichigo. 'One nuclear meltdown coming right up. What the hell was I thinking bringing her here?'
"That so," Brock said. "Well then, why don't you ditch the moron and have a good time with a real man."
"Stop leering at me like that." Ichigo said calmly.
Rock acted shocked. "Ahh why not babe? You're fun to look at."
'OH CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!' Roshi quickly stepped between Brock and Ichigo. "I wouldn't make her mad, she's one of my father's top students." Roshi said holding his hands up.
Rock started laughing. "So what, YOU'RE one of your father's top students, and other then landing a lucky punch, you suck. You can't do anything athletic!"
Roshi glared at him. 'You have no idea how hard it is to force myself to suck as bad as you think I do at sports.' "Rock I'm warning you." Roshi said forcefully.
Rock circled around to get a better look at Ichigo. She in the meantime actually tried to keep Roshi between herself and Rock.
"Oh look, hiding must be a big skill taught at your dad's school huh Roshi. I mean, you hide all the time and look at her now!" Rock said laughing.
"What are you afraid of Babe? I just want to have some fun." Rock said while moving his hand through the air as if he was running it down Ichigo's body.
'NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!' Roshi mentally screamed as Ichigo forcefully shoved him out of the way to step towards Rock.
"Why you disgusting Pervert!" She yelled as she took three steps forward.
Rock laughed blew her a kiss and reached out to grab one of Ichigo's braids.
Ichigo flinched. At least that is what it looked like to everyone except Roshi. Ichigo flinched and Brock was thrown ten meters back and through a glass display case. To Roshi it looked like She hit him fifteen times in the ribs and kicked him in the groin to send him flying into the display.
Alarms sounded and people all over the courtyard started screaming.
'I am so very dead' Roshi thought as he quickly grabbed his cell phone to call an ambulance.
Within a few moments, the mall security and some police had shown up. They were asking questions. Far too many questions for Roshi's likes.
"Name please?"
"Son Roshi"
The police officer looked surprised. "Identi card please?"
Roshi quickly fished the plastic card out of his wallet. The officer scanned it to make sure it was authentic and then almost fell over in shock.
"And this is?" He said turning towards Ichigo.
Ichigo glared at Roshi and then calmly said. "I am Ichigo Kudamono, I don't have one of those stupid cards."
The officer looked at her surprised. "Everyone has an Identi card."
Roshi realized that if he couldn't talk his way out of the situation they were in big trouble. "Ah sir, actually there are a few small villages that have stayed out of the Datanet. They don't have Identi Cards. She is one of my father's students and is from one of those villages over one the western side of the continent." He said knowing full well that if pressed there were more then just a few ways to prove that she was neither a student of Son Goshu nor from some forgotten village.
The officer looked around as if he was trying to decide what to do. "Well, I guess I will trust you. I mean your father is the Current World Martial Arts Champion and Master of the Budoukai and all. Never had any reason not to trust the word of your family."
'Dende I love you. Thank you for having him buy that hook line and sinker.'
Another officer walked over and quietly whispered to the other one. Roshi had little trouble hearing what was said. "Well, we have conflicting reports. Some of the people claim that the girl here attacked the victim for no reason. Most of the people claim that the guy was hitting on her and he was warned to stay away, when he tried to grab her he ended up being thrown over into that display."
"You realize that the other kid here is a member of the Son family?" the first one asked.
"No, makes me wonder what really happened. The guy that got thrown into the window probably deserved it, but I wonder how he or she did it."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. I saw the last Budoukai. Never saw someone move so fast in my life as that Goshu guy."
"Have you gotten their statements yet?"
"I was just about to."
"Well get on with it."
The officers turned back to Roshi and Ichigo. "Ok, let me hear your story." He asked Ichigo.
'Oh god. Nothing good can come of this!!!!' Roshi thought while sweat dropping.
Ichigo grimaced and looked at Roshi as if questioning why they were bothering, but finally spoke. "That guy," She said pointing to the stretcher the paramedics had put Rock on, "made some ludicrous threats towards Roshi, and then started leering at me and calling me babe. I told him not to look at me. Then Roshi said I was one of his father's students, and told him to leave me alone. He made out to kiss me and tried to grab my hair, so I hit him."
The officer looked at her doubtfully. "You hit him that far?" He said pointing at the distant window.
"Yes."
"Do you have anything to add?" The Officer asked Roshi.
'Um no...' "Other then the fact that I will gladly pay for a new window, no."
Another officer ran up with a security tape. "The tape didn't even catch what happened. One second the guy was reaching for this here girl, and the next he had crashed through the window there."
"So the guy did try to grab the girl?"
"Yeah"
"And she didn't seem to do anything to provoke him?"
"Not as far as the tape could tell."
The officer turned to Roshi and Ichigo. "Well sir, I don't think you will have to worry about the window. You two are free to go."
Roshi looked at the officer as if the man had just grown another head. "Ah, that's it? No more questions or anything?"
"No, says here that the assailant is 18, so you may be called in as a witness if they bring him to trial"
"What?" Roshi asked.
"You are free to go, this is a simple case of self-defense against an attempted assault." The Officer said calmly.
Roshi thought about it for a moment. "Sir, I don't think we are going to press charges, I think he paid for his mistake already." Roshi said.
"You agree?" The officer asked Ichigo.
Ichigo glared at Roshi and then said yes.
"Ok then, no charges were pressed for the assault, but he will still have to pay for the damages to the display case." The officer said quickly before closing his notepad.
Roshi breathed a sigh of relief and was about to grab Ichigo and leave when he heard a woman's shrill voice. "Coming through ZNN news! Get out of my way you idiots!"
'Please no.' Roshi thought as he turned to look at the approaching news crew. 'Ima Gossip, JUST who I wanted to see today.'
Ima Gossip ran up in front of the broken display case and waited impatiently for her cameraman. "This is Ima Gossip reporting live from the Satan City Midtown Mall. I am here to report on a brawl involving members of the Son family. So soon after the Moon Scandal this is just another highlight in the crimes of the Son family."
Roshi couldn't take it. "Now just a minute!" He yelled out as he walked over to were Ima was standing.
Ima looked over to the police officers that were still milling about. "Why isn't this man detained? I have first hand accounts accusing him of starting a fight and then almost killing a poor innocent young man."
"Lady, that's Son Roshi you're talking about, he didn't have any part of the fight that happened here." One of the officers said.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is an outrage! I have several witnesses who will vouch that this young man definitely was part of the brawl that happened. It is an injustice to see that the person who started this fight and caused the damage you see behind me is free to walk away. Obviously just like the world government was too afraid to punish Capsule Corp for their involvement in the Moon Scandal the Police of Satan City are impotent to stop a member of the Son family from causing even more chaos and pain."
"That's enough!" Roshi yelled. "That camera on? This is live?" He asked the cameraman. When the cameraman nodded Roshi continued. "The police have the mall security tapes. They show I tried to prevent a fight. What you're doing isn't news lady; it's a mockery of news! It's dishonest and distasteful and disgusting that you think you can get away with it."
Ima snorted, "No little boy, the only thing that is disgusting is the fact that you and your family think they can live above the law. Your family lives off of the legend of Mr. Satan! Your family has done nothing for the last 400 years, yet you still expect and receive more rights and respect then everyone else. Your father is nothing but a brute." She pointed at Ichigo "and I have just been informed that she is one of your father's students. I also have learned that it was she who did all of this. Just more proof that the so called Heroic Family is nothing but a bunch of brutes."
Roshi realized that she was wearing an earpiece that was feeding her information.
"I for one am not going to rest until the people in charge at the Capsule Corp are tried for Criminal negligence for the deaths of the people who lived and worked on the moon with insufficient safety and evacuation measures. I was fired for trying to bring you the truth. The police will no doubt cover for this juvenile delinquent here today."
"Your words are just libel and slander until you can find proof to back them up. Your petty lies mean nothing to me." Roshi said as he turned to walk away.
"Oh, yes, hide behind legal words. Your family is good at that. You hide in the middle of the largest piece of undeveloped land in the world. You openly admit to having your own private army, and between the Son Foundation and the Capsule Corp. you make sure that no one ever says anything bad about you. Well the truth is coming out. Isn't it true that on your orders the Son Foundation started a rebuilding project in Homlet? What are you hiding Roshi? And just why does a 17 year old boy have the authority to control what the Foundation does or does not do?" Ima said running up and shoving the microphone under Roshi's face.
"That's it! I've had it. In one line you claim my family has done nothing for the general populace and then in the next you claim that we only do things to cover our tracks. You can't have it both ways lady. I am in charge of the Son Foundation because it is run my father directly. As my father is off planet right now, and my mother had never worked with the Foundation, it is my responsibility to choose what is a worthy cause to fund or work with. I see Homlet as being no different then the things we have always done when disaster strikes. Two years ago when the old Orange Star High School was vandalized and burned to the ground, we rebuilt it in two weeks. When a flood wiped out the entire rice crop of the Vet district we bought food from other Planets to feed the hungry. The private army you speak of is no doubt the security forces for the Capsule Corp and the Forces we have protecting the very ships that hauled that food. Contrary to what you may wish to believe, Space is not a very friendly place, as the attack Monday night shows. We try our best to keep that type of thing from happening, but we are not perfect!" Roshi stopped for a breath. "Not only that but some of the stuff we have locked away in the Vault at the Capsule Corp could destroy the world. Did you realize that Cell was an Android? The technology needed to build another such monster has been locked away for centuries. But every few years someone tries to break in and get at that and many other terrible things Capsule Corp keeps locked away for the protection of people like you. Are you claiming that we shouldn't keep those terrible things locked away and out of harms reach? The very thought is ludicrous!"
"There! You admit your family has hidden things and the truth before! Just like you are doing now!" Ima broke in.
"Some things are better off not ever being known. My family has always been there to help when something goes wrong. If you see that as a cover up then fine. Get your proof. I am sick of you lies and I am sick of you taking us for granted and I am sick of not having the respect for what we are actually doing. You are right miss Gossip. Mr. Satan did die over 400 years ago. I don't want respect because of what he did. I want respect for what I can do and have done. And right now I am going to show you first hand just what all MY family does for you."
Roshi held up his cell phone. "I have my cousin Slip on my cell phone. You have been getting information from your earpiece, well so have I. I demand that you apologize for your lies."
"I will not apologize for revealing the evils of your family." Ima said proudly.
"Ok then everyone who is watching, write this down. 1-666-0666 that is Ima's home phone number. As of this moment I am suspending all activities of the Son Foundation, as is my right. If Miss Gossip cannot come up with proof to either the Capsule Corps duplicity in the Moon Scandal, or any other actual crimes of my family by tomorrow, I expect a full-televised apology. Or Slip will shut down the Capsule Corp and all of its facilities. You implied that the planet would be better off without us. If you keep slandering us we may just leave, we have the ability to do so at any time. I am sure New Namek wouldn't mind having us move there. Let's see how you like it without the services we give out every day. Anyone who has been hurt by these actions call 1-666-0666 and tell Ima just how you feel about her lies." Roshi grabbed Ichigo and calmly walked out the door ignoring all comments and questions.
As he walked out the front doors of the Mall, he caught sight of Kit looking at him sadly. She shook her head and turned to walk away from him and the crowd that was following him.
That one act more than anything else put a damper on what little joy he had gotten from verbally bashing Ima. Looking around, he couldn't find sight of Mariah anywhere.
Shaking his head in frustration, he pulled out a capsule of a Hoover jet that he always kept with him when he went to town and activated it. As soon as the smoke cleared he and Ichigo were on their way home. He could pick up the food later.
"Thanks a lot. You have no idea how much trouble you caused." Roshi said sullenly.
"I didn't kill him!" Ichigo spat.
"Does that matter? You might as well have killed him. It wouldn't have caused any more trouble then I am in now!"
The two of them did not speak for the rest of the day.
* * *
Feeling downright miserable with himself, Roshi sighed. 'What the heck was I thinking? I cannot believe I let that stupid reporter get to me like that.' "And I can't believe I was so harsh with Ichigo."
He rolled out of bed and sat back down at his desk. He grabbed his pen and started to write.
I really cannot blame Ichigo. The past few days were not her fault. I was so furious I didn't even try to listen to what she was saying. All I could think of was how stupid it was for me to have let her come into town. I knew she couldn't control herself.
I have to admit that up until the mall I was having the time of my life today.
This morning she asked how I could act like nothing had happened. She essentially wanted to know why I could forgive her.
I just hope she can forgive me.
She didn't kill him.
For her, that must have been one of the hardest things she has ever done. I didn't even think about it. She was raised to never pull a punch.
She didn't kill him.
If only I had such self-control.
Son Roshi
Roshi closed his Journal and shoved it into the desk.
'What was I thinking?' He asked himself one last time as his Vidphone suddenly started to ring.
* * *
Yes, done.. Chapter 30 will be ALL NEW. Hear that ALL NEW!
I am DONE with the revisions!
WHOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!
Now for some notes.
Kitsune Maxwell has a really cool Trunks/pan fic called "Glitch" you should all read
Kitsune is also nice enough to host this fic on her website. You should all check it out. She has this neat round robin going. If you have any love of Fantasy or D&D, you should check it out. Heck even if you don't you should check it out! Hey, and feel free to add to it!
Here is the address http://kitsuneden.tripod.com
Dracon has written several interesting fics, and they have not gotten the reviews they deserve. PLEASE go and read and review some of his work.
This is the link to his bio page. http://www.fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=238576
Finally, my rant. As some of you know, I was a bit harsh to a fellow author this past week for getting mad at a reviewer. I probably should not have done that. (this chapter was originally posted in late May of 2002. This all is old news, but I left it cause my stance has not changed.)
However, I can not reiterate my stance on reviews enough. I only want honesty. If you think my fic is crap. Please tell me. If all you say is "great Job" I guess I will be happy. Remember people; I am not getting paid for writing this. The personal enjoyment of writing and your reviews are the only payment my fellow author's and I receive. If you take the time to read a fic, Please take the minuscule amount of time to review it. Be honest. Tell us authors what you think. If you question something or dislike something ask us to explain or Tell us what you don't like! It can only make our fics more enjoyable to read.
Besides, it is the least you can do after spending all the time reading each chapter. And I will never turn down a real review. Heck I even welcome Flames! ;)
The Smooster
