Girl trouble... (did I say trouble? LOL)
Monday, June 23
Thawap!!!
"Ouch what did you do that for?" Roshi asked as he woke up to see Kit standing near his bed with a rolled up newspaper in her hands.
"You deserve it. And since when did you sleep in? It's after 10 am!" Kit said as she poked the newspaper into his stomach.
"I deserve it? Kit you have no idea how hectic the past few months have been since we last talked." Roshi held up his hands to forestall any comments. "And before you say anything, it has been months for me. Now, three questions, How did you get into my bedroom? Why are you here? And why do you have that scowl on your face?"
Kit shook her head. "I got in by talking to your mother. She told me to go wake you up." She then unrolled the newspaper. I am here because I want to know honestly if there is something going on with you and that other girl and if you are going to be man enough to talk to Mariah before you rip her heart apart, or if you are just daft and stupid."
Roshi sat up to grab the paper from her hands. "What are you talking about? Oh, OH, this is great! Stupid dumb paparazzi!" He said as he saw the picture of himself and Ichigo walking to their table at Charlie's on the front cover of the tabloid.
"I'm going to guess daft. Are you an idiot? Mariah's already thinking you hate her for skipping out on your date last Friday, and now you've taken what's her name to the two most exclusive restaurants on the planet! Are you stupid or just really cold hearted?"
Roshi got out of bed very glad to have slept in more than his boxers, and looked at Kit. "Now just a second here! I'm getting rather fed up with your attitude! It isn't my fault I had to skip our date and you know it."
Kit's fur fluffed a bit as she stood higher on her toes and glared at Roshi. "I'm not blaming you, but you haven't done much more than the minimum. You leave her with quite the shock on Friday. I mean the fact that you are not exactly who you always seemed to be isn't something she should just take like it's nothing. And then you only tried once to call her yesterday and now that picture is running in three of the tabloids! What do you think she's going to think?!?"
"I think..." Roshi started. "I don't know what she'll think, I dare say she won't be too happy."
Kit shook her head. "No, she probably won't. So, what's with you and the space princess?"
Roshi waved his hand away, "nothing, I can assure you there is absolutely nothing going on. AND even if there was, it wouldn't work. So stop worrying about things that will never ever happen. Besides, don't you have your own life to live? I mean you seem so busy worrying about me and Mariah but why aren't you out looking for some guy to sweep you off your feet? And DON'T tell me any bull about being the only Vulpine in Satan City. There is a fairly large group in West City and if you can show up here in the middle of the morning, you can go there too."
Kit opened and closed her mouth a few times as if trying to figure out something to say... then she just stuck her long tongue out at him. "I don't really think I'm ready for dating yet. Besides, who said I had to date to be happy?"
Roshi rolled his eyes. "Right, she says as she lives vicariously through her friends by trying to be the perfect little match maker."
Even after knowing her for as long as he had, Roshi still got a kick out of watching her emotions play across her ears and fur. Kit's ears dropped faster then her mouth when she puffed up in denial. "I am not living vicariously through you! I just don't want a boyfriend."
"Right." Roshi said as he walked up to smirk in her face.
Kit huffed and poked her finger into his chest. "Ugh! Go shower you reek!"
Roshi's jaw dropped as he sucked in air trying to think up a comeback. "You know most people seem to think I smell good."
Kit wrinkled up her face and acted like she was gagging. "Yeah but your nasty Saiyan pheromones work on most people. I'm immune and they reek."
"Oh really? Well then!" Roshi said before he deftly reached out and grabbed her head cupping her ears, which he knew she absolutely hated and pulled her nose into his armpit.
She tried to knee him in the crotch, but he let go of her head and blocked her knee.
Kit lurched back. "Don't EVER do that again you slimy stinky nasty ogre!"
Roshi stuck his tongue out at her. "Teach you to wake me up in the morning!"
"Gah!!! I swear you are impossible!"
Roshi smirked. "I know, that's why you like me. Now since I'm not about to get sidetracked, you really don't need to be playing matchmaker Kit."
Kit glared at him. "Well someone does, you are about as clueless as they come."
"I am not clueless!"
Kit held up the tabloid. "You're not huh? You have absolutely no idea how far and how fast Mariah has fallen for you? Do you have any idea how much watching you fly away and realizing that you weren't going to be there for her Friday night hurt her? Or how much she'll be hurt when she sees this? And she will see it, no doubt some jerk of a reporter will shove it in her face and ask her how she feels about it." Kit stopped talking and glared at Roshi. "Oh no, you are NOT giving me that innocent look. That might work with people that don't know you but I'm not falling for it!"
"Ok, I admit it I'm not exactly the most romantic guy on the planet, but I have a bit to worry about at the moment!" Roshi said as he flung up his hands in exasperation.
"And here I thought there was nothing that was more powerful than love." Kit quipped.
Roshi blushed a bit, "Well sorry, but fairy tales normally don't include the total destruction of the planet and the death of everyone if Prince Charming fails to sweep the fair maiden off her feet!"
"And who said he was boring and not the slightest bit melodramatic last year when the drama coach wanted you to be in the spring play?" Kit rolled her eyes.
"Kit! She wanted me to play Romeo and there is no way I could possibly pull off being the slightest bit believable delivering those lines to the likes of Amy Priss. You know she's been hot for me because of my money since we were like a day into the first year so school!"
"Actually I don't, I haven't lived here my entire life, but you are avoiding the subject again. You need to go talk to Mariah and clear things up before the tabloids get a hold of her. Or do you want her to start jumping to conclusions? She has a right to know what's going on and you really aught to take her to the dance that's going on this Wednesday. Here I got you tickets." Kit said while she reached into a pocket and then handed Roshi two tickets.
"KIT! I can't!"
"Yes you can, it is relatively simple. You fly your lazy chicken butt over to her house and you ask her to accompany you to the dance. It isn't that hard."
"Kit, I don't have time for this right now!"
Kit swung the tabloid at him. "Oh, so you have time to take the Princess to the second most exclusive restaurant on the Planet, but you don't have time to take your girlfriend to a dance? Not to be offensive but that really stinks even worse then you do. Please, do tell me why this girl who you've known for all of a few weeks is more important to you than your Girlfriend."
Roshi grabbed the tabloid from her and shredded it. "That's it! I've tried to be calm but you are really getting on my nerves! First, one date does not make us a couple. Mariah is a very good friend and there may be more there and I certainly think there is but stop making such a big deal about it. Second, for all of her faults, Ichigo is a Saiyan who grew up as a Saiyan and knows what it means to be a Saiyan. You have your Furzete and your own family holidays and a good deal of your own culture. If you blame me for trying to get her to open up and tell me about my own people and that was what I was doing at Charlie's. Trust me there isn't a better way to get info out of one of us then enticing us with food. Anyway if you blame me for that then you are an awfully large bigot in your own right. Third, I'm not being melodramatic when I say that I have the weight of the world on my back right now. How many people can honestly say that people EXPECT them to be able to save the lives of every person on the planet from something like a Changeling? Sure, my dad will be there, and Yoshi, and Tee and Boxers, but I'm not an idiot. I just got reamed by my dad for skipping out on five months of training in the ROSAT cause they all expect me to be the one that saves the day."
"I'm sorry but while there is nothing I would like to do more then go and sweep Mariah off her feet and give her everything in her heart's desire, I know that if I do that and ignore the threat and the problems facing us then I might as well be letting the Changeling kill everyone!"
"If you can't understand that and you can't understand why being decent to Ichigo when she fears she has abandoned her own people and that they will all be dead when she gets back home then... Then I don't know. I would think you of all people coming from a dead world would understand!"
"And if Mariah is so jealous that she can't trust me with another girl even when my only intentions are saving EVERYONE'S lives then maybe she isn't the person I think she is. I admit I haven't been the most forth coming and I know I haven't done everything I could, but I have done everything I was able to so please try to understand when I say I really honestly DON'T want to talk about it!"
With that Roshi turned around and walked out to his balcony and flew away. He needed time to cool down. Never before had he ever had the temptation to just slug any of his friends but Kit had almost deserved it. The rational part of his brain reminded him that if he had, they would have been picking pieces of her out of the walls for decades. The rational part of his brain didn't help his mood any.
* * *
10 pm that night,
Dear Roshi,
Kit told me about your conversation this morning. I've never seen her so upset in my life. I honestly think she thinks you hate her now. Please, for my sake forgive her, she was only trying to help.
I am sorry. I don't really know how to put my thoughts into words right now. I guess I have been jealous. You were right to be angry with the two of us as Kit and I have been quite selfish.
In my defense, I would like to say that when you left on Friday it changed things. I know we can never again have whatever it was we had before. It is not easy to accept that the person you thought you knew your entire life is not at all who you thought he was. How could you keep all that from me? Don't you trust me? You rebuked Kit today saying if I couldn't trust you then I must not be the person you thought I was. I don't know how to respond to that. Should I trust you? You obviously don't or didn't trust me.
Why couldn't you trust me? I would never do anything to hurt you. You are and you have always been my Knight in Armor, my hero, my best friend, the person I turn to when I need help. Why couldn't you trust me? I sit here and I think and I wonder if I ever really even knew you.
I don't like wondering that. It hurts. I thought, no, I still know I love you. You are the kindest, sweetest, nicest, person I have ever met. You don't judge people by their money or their fame, but by their heart and soul. Please Roshi forgive me. Please let me in. I want to know the real you. Please.
Your friend forever,
Love
Mariah
Roshi read the letter again. He had lost count how many times that was. His day had started off bad and gotten worse as it went. Now he had Mariah's letter, and he had yet one more reason to kick himself.
The Journal of Son Roshi,
June 23, 1291
I am an ass. If one were to have a contest to find the largest ass on the planet, they would need to find a new way to measure the magnitude of my assness.
I cracked. Kit showed up and flung in my face some of the things I had been worrying about for the past few months while I trained and I cracked.
I hate it. Kit and Mariah have been two of my closest friends forever, and I couldn't bring myself to trust Mariah enough to tell her who I really am. What does that tell me about myself? Why couldn't I trust her?
I can't help but think about Ichigo... She's told me more about her life then I ever really freely told either Kit or Mariah. Why is it that I could gain her trust so easily, yet I was so unwilling to trust my closest friends?
Mariah called me her Knight in armor... I have to admit I like the sound of that. I have never thought of myself as a hero. I don't think I am a hero. Heroes are made of sterner stuff than me. Heroes are... Heroes are people like Goku. The stories about him and the journal entries about him, he never doubted himself. He never backed down.
I'm not a hero. I'm a coward. I'm afraid to admit I love Mariah. So I hurt her instead. I'm afraid I will fail when the Changeling gets here, so I get mad at Kit and blame her for things that she has no control over. I'm afraid. I am a coward.
I don't understand how Ichigo can do it. Her culture is so different. From what I gather, women are almost second class citizens. In a culture based on physical ability it does make some sense, as women are normally smaller and not nearly as strong as men, but it is so skewed that she almost hates herself for being female. She tries so hard to prove she is worthy of the respect of a bunch of bigots that I can't help but feel sorry for her. Her life has been one tragedy followed by another, and yet, she is able to face the world.
Her only fear is failure, and yet her fear drives her to strive harder. To be more brave, to be more than she is.
I feel sorry for her, yet at the same time I envy her. My fear holds me back. My fear stops me and is a break on my dreams. My fear hurts others. In the end, her fear may just save her people.
Gah, I cannot believe I am actually writing this drivel. I should be ashamed of myself. It is not like there will be anyone around to read this if we fail. Man isn't this going to be a fun read fifty years after my death.
I can picture it now, some future Son: Wow, I'm related to a wussy pansy boy melodramatic moron...
I guess it's easier to ponder how much I have come to actually respect Ichigo these past few months we spent in the ROSAT than to think about what is really nagging me right now.
I'm a fool. I knew I could trust Mariah, but I choose not to, and my choices hurt her. I never wanted to hurt her. I... I am fairly certain I love her. I mean, I've been her friend forever and... I am such a nitwit when it comes to emotions.
I feel terrible. I blew up at Kit this morning and then I went and sparred all day. Ichigo's still pissed at me for knocking her out Saturday. It really isn't my fault. She wanted me to show her how strong I really was. So I powered up and then maxed-out my Kaioken and she said that I wasn't as strong as I acted and tried to hit me. So I blocked and hit her in the stomach. Not my fault I knocked her out... anyway, I seem to be drifting off topic again.
I need to make it up to Mariah. I think I'll go find Kit in the morning and get those tickets to the dance. I just wish Mariah had a Saiyaman watch so I could maker her a perfect dress like Gohan did for Videl that one time. Oh well, I am sure she'll look like an angel.
Yes, I can put off sparing with my dad and the guys and Ichigo for a night and actually enjoy myself. As I said to Ichigo, what's the point of saving the world if you aren't saving hope, and joy, and fun, and a life to save?
Son Roshi
Roshi closed his journal and looked at his watch. It was nearly midnight. 'Damn, I need to get some sleep. I have a very long day tomorrow.' Roshi thought as he slowly walked to his bed.
"I swear, if my life were any more complicated... No not going to jinx myself I am not finishing that thought." Roshi slapped himself on the forehead and flopped into bed.
Knock, Knock, Knock!
Roshi looked over to his balcony to see Ichigo standing there knocking on the glass.
Roshi glared at his ceiling. "Dende, I hate you. I didn't finish the sentence but you had to have fun anyway."
He got up and opened the door. "What do you want?"
"I want you to actually fix the thermostat in that house. You said it would warm up in there."
Roshi sighed and reached over to his bedside table for a can of nuts. "Here, eat some of these cashews and calm down. I'll see what I can do."
'Yay me, she's cold and I'm the one she complains to. And I thought Slip was bad. What is it with women? I'm hot. I'm cold. Snuggle with me Roshi...'
"What are you grimacing about? You're not the one sleeping in an ice box."
Roshi turned to look at her. "Oh please, did you or did you not just tell me that you spent about eight and a half months of your life living on a damn glacier during your Trial thingy? I doubt that a broken ac unit is cold for you."
"On my trial I was able to go out and kill things and make myself furs and boots and things to stay warm. I can't even find a quilt in that house!"
"Well sorry your highness but I really don't see why it is my problem. If the house is to damn cold for you, you can always sleep out under the stars, but I suppose that's too harsh for poor little you now isn't it?"
THWUNK! The empty cashew can hit him in the side of the face.
"What the heck was that for?"
"You're being a jerk! That's what that was for. What the heck is your problem?"
"You." Roshi said as he walked through the door and into Pan's house.
"Me? ME? Do you think I wanted to be here? DO you think I wan any of this. Do you think I could control any of this?"
Roshi punched several buttons on the thermostat's panel and then turned back to her. "No, but I think you're a pain in the rear all the same. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the thermostat. It isn't even cold in here."
"NOT EVEN COLD?!? It's warmer in the walk in refrigerator!" Ichigo yelled pointing to the kitchen.
"Then sleep in there for Kami's sake! Or maybe you could just gather some of the bedding from the other rooms and stop whining like a little baby!"
"I AM NOT WHINING YOU JERK!"
"Tell me when I care." Roshi said before he slammed the door in her face and flew back to his room.
"JACKASS!!!" Ichigo yelled out the door before slamming it again.
Roshi grimaced but smiled inwardly. 'After what I said there is no way her pride will let her do anything but sleep in that house. Which is exactly what I want...' Roshi thought as he wiped his forehead and realized she had cut him with the can. "I will never understand how I can have boulders dropped on me and come out unscathed but something like a piece of paper or a tin can can cut me." He mumbled to himself as he crawled into bed and promptly fell asleep.
Tuesday, 8 am
Roshi dressed in his normal street clothing and didn't even stop to eat breakfast before he attempted to leave in the morning.
"Roshi, what are you doing?" Goshu said as he caught up with Roshi a few steps outside the front door of the house.
"I'm going into town, I have some things I need to take care of."
"Ooookay, ah, this isn't going to take all day like your little expedition with Ichigo that cost you 5 months of training time is it?
Ichigo choose that moment to walk out of Pan's house. Curious as to what was going on she walked over to the two. "Roshi, what are you wearing?"
Roshi grimaced at her, and started pointing at his clothing. "See these are called jeans, and this is a tee-shirt. They're what I normally wear when I go to town."
"Well Excuse me for asking jerk!"
Roshi just shrugged and walked past her as Tee and Boxers landed.
"Shoot, and here we thought we would be early." Boxers said as he walked over to the group. So, what's the schedule for the day?
Goshu raised an eyebrow, "I don't know what all everyone is doing, I had planned on having everyone go off against Roshi this morning, but it seems Roshi thinks there are more important things to him then training today."
Roshi turned around, "Oh, please, you are not going to lay the guilt trip on me. Look, I trained for seven months in the ROSAT and I really didn't learn a thing, you yourself said you doubted I would see any significant increase in ability without going Super Saiyan. I know enough about our past to note that you have to have a need not just a want to get to that level. Well, I need some time with my friends being normal ok?"
"You arrogant idiot!" Ichigo yelled. "So just because you think you've reached some plateau or something you don't think training is necessary? Well go then, spend time with your stupid pathetic friends. A whole lot of good it will do you if we fail to stop the Changeling!"
"Exactly! Not that I'm giving up here, but no one said we were going to beat the Changeling! Call me selfish but I want to have some fun before I have to go save the world or die trying! I'm sure you would have done the same, so don't act like I'm such a horrid person!"
"Oh thanks! Just rub it in my face that I probably won't ever see my friends and family again! You're a real ass you know that Roshi!"
Roshi opened his mouth to say something, but then just shook his head and flew away towards Satan City.
Ichigo shot a ki blast past him and then stormed into Beth's garden.
Goshu looked to Boxers and Tee, "alright, you two need to come with me, something is up and I want to know why and what for.
"Ah, well um, I think whatever's bothering Roshi has to do with whatever Kit said to him yesterday, he's been acting odd since then." Boxers replied as they walked towards the house.
"I agree, he's lashing out for seemingly no reason and it isn't helping anything. Especially when he lashes out at Ichigo." Goshu said.
"You want us to go find her?" Boxers asked.
Goshu pondered for a moment. "Yeah, go fuse and then have a good spar with her. That will hopefully get her mind off what Roshi said. Well, at least for a little while it might."
* * *
'I am an ass! I am an ass! I am an ass!' Roshi thought to himself as he flew towards Satan City. "Great, that went just great. I can't believe how utterly stupid I am. Way to go Roshi, work for months to gain her trust and then use it to mock her. Aren't you just soo proud of yourself?"
"Damn! Damn! DAMN! I wanted to make her focus on her training not focus on her own fears. I have to be the world's largest idiot. She thinks she betrayed her people so naturally I rub it in her face. Gahhh! Even if she does work harder now and actually focus on her abilities she'll never trust me again! This is just wonderful! I swear fate hates me. If Kit ever talks about fate again I'm going to kill her!"
Roshi was still verbally bashing himself when he landed near Kit's house. Kit's mother let him in and then went and called Kit.
A few minutes later Kit stumbled down the stairs in a oversized jogging suit that was entirely too big for her and made her look like she was drowning in it.
"Roshi, do you know what time it is?"
"Yeah it's time to wake up and give me those tickets so I can go make up with Mariah."
Kit went from groggy and out of it to hyper and fully awake in about a heart beat. "Oh that's wonderful!" She practically screamed as she bounced up and down a few times before running over and hugging Roshi.
Roshi didn't hug people. Roshi was uncomfortable. "Kit, could you please not do that?" He said as he tried to peal her off of him. It really isn't that big of a deal."
"Not a big deal? Roshi, Mariah's been doing nothing but moping around for the past day acting like her world just died. This will make her day!"
Roshi sighed and held Kit at arm's length. "She's really been that down?"
Kit frowned and shook her head. "Yes, I told you she loves you. Even though I think she understands what you're going through, she's still hurt that you didn't come talk or do anything with her for the past few days. She misses you."
"I know, and I could have been more... more worthy of her affection. Which is why I'm here. So do you have the tickets? I want to get them to her before she gets to work."
"Oh, she took today and tomorrow off. She said she just didn't feel like working. So she's probably at home in bed playing dead or something."
Once again, Roshi was feeling worse and worse as the conversation with Kit went on. "Great, So I'm feeling even worse now, could you please give me the tickets?"
"Oh, ah, yeah, just a second I'll go get them." Kit said before she turned and ran up the stairs.
Roshi almost laughed, Kit's tail was bobbing from side to side as she ran up the stairs. 'Right, not living vicariously through us... what a joke!' Roshi thought to himself. After being picked on in school about it, Kit almost never allowed her tail to even move let alone wag when she was happy.
She came back down the stairs and gave him the tickets. "When you going over? Can I tag along and watch?"
"No... NO! Kit!"
Kit's ears blushed. "Sorry, it is just that..."
"Just that you're living vicariously and you want to know everything that is going on!"
"AH! Well I never... Hey stop that you!"
Roshi reached over and messed up her hair to shut her up.
"I'm going over now, I know I can't stop you from showing up, but could you please just give us some time alone?"
"Oooowwww Roshi wants time alone... you sly man you!"
"Kit! That isn't funny. Now maybe if I was Carge, but really!"
Kit laughed. "I know, I know, but can't I pick on you a little?"
"No, picking on me is express idly forbidden." Roshi said with a smirk. "Anyway I need to get going, catch you later." He said as he left.
Roshi quickly ran over to Mariah's and knocked on the door.
There was no answer, but he could sense her in there, so he kept knocking.
"Go away! We don't want whatever it is you're selling!" Mariah yelled through the door.
"Are you sure? I'm selling a night of fun and entertainment with me for the low price of opening your door and talking to me!" Roshi yelled back.
Mariah opened the door in a wrinkled shirt and a pair of shorts and looked at him like she was trying to make sure she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing. "Roshi?"
"Yes?"
"Oh! Come in! I... I wasn't expecting anyone."
"I know, Kit said you were a bit down. I'm sorry I've been a real jerk."
"No you haven't it is all my fault. I'm the one who was being selfish." Mariah said looking at the ground like she was ashamed.
"No you weren't now I'm here to have some fun with you and possibly Kit since she'll probably be here in a few minutes anyway, so tell you what. I'll wait here and you can go shower and get dressed, and then we are going to go have some fun."
"Really? You, you want to spend time with me?"
Roshi felt his jaw drop. "Mariah! What ever gave you the idea that I didn't want to spend time with you?"
Mariah looked up and then blushed furiously. "Well, you... Oh, never mind I'm just being an idiot."
"You're never an idiot Mariah."
Mariah looked up and smiled. For the first time that day, the day wasn't looking so bad after all.
"Um, ah, I guess I'll go shower now um you can make yourself at home, ah we don't have much but ah..."
"Mariah, you know I don't care. I'll be over here waiting."
Mariah blushed again and ran down the to her room and then across to the bathroom to shower.
* * *
Kit showed up before Mariah was done getting ready so the three of them ended up heading out in search of Niko and Carge so the whole gang could do something together.
As they approached the mall several people started shouting questions at Roshi.
"Hey Playboy, are these two the flavor of the day or you still looking for better?"
"Mr. Son, what do you have to say about your romantic involvement with... Oh look she's Mariah Smart! Mariah are the two of you a couple? Do you have anything to say about those pictures that ran in the Times?"
"Yo, Son, you have anything to add about your mishandling of the Son Foundation? Your father made it sound like you would be punished, what did he do to you?"
Roshi tried to ignore them as they walked into the mall. "why do reporters always seem to know how to find me now?" He asked to no one in particular.
"How do you put up with them?" Mariah asked. "I just about went nuts trying to get away from them the other day."
"Mostly I just ignore them. They're like wolves with no teeth. They feed in packs, but if you ignore them their bark is a lot worse then their bite." Roshi said as they walked up to the fountain were Niko and Carge were waiting.
"Hey, what's up dude? So, who's the hot student of your dad's? You should have brought her with you, she's hot!" Carge said as he got up to walk over slap Roshi on the back.
Mariah seemed to shrink back, so Roshi reached out and pulled her to him. "Carge, her name is Ichigo and she's just a friend of the family. Please tell me you didn't believe those stories in the tabloids."
Carge looked from Mariah to Niko who was glaring at him quite openly before he replied, "ah, no didn't believe it for a second, I was just picking on ya dude!"
"Right," Roshi said as he saw the reporters closing in again. "Well, let's get going I have a lot to say and the day is on my debit card." He looked at Mariah, "And NO one is going to complain about it. I have the cash I might as well spend it on the people I really care about."
A reporter overheard the comment and forced his way in front of Roshi. "So, young man you admit that you don't care about the people the Son Foundation is spending money on? Don't you have any regrets about the people your irresponsible behavior hurt last week?"
Roshi stopped and glared at the man. "Those words were taken out of context and you know it. If you want to put words in my mouth go right ahead. My father can destroy you just as easily as Ima Gossip."
"Is that a threat? What do you have to be afraid of?"
Roshi turned to look at Kit and Mariah. "Remind me to never go near a Mall again as long as I live." He then turned to the Reporter. "I have nothing to be afraid of from you, except maybe a total loss of privacy. I made a mistake last week. People got hurt. I'm sorry. That was not my intention in any way, and I am sorry that I had to learn the hard way. But I have learned. The Son Foundation is going to be better in the future because of my mistake. Now if you don't mind I would like to pretend for at least a short period of time that I am a normal person and have fun with my friends. Good day."
The reporter didn't give up. "Mr. Son, a few more questions please..."
"Good day, I'm not answering any more."
"Dende they're like sharks!" Mariah said as they all piled into Roshi's hover van.
"Just ignore them. So where are we off to gang?" Roshi asked as he started to drive around to ditch the news vans that were following them.
The gang all ended up out at the ruins of Mt. Frypan again for the afternoon. It was a good day and they all had fun, but like all things, it had to end sometime.
Mariah was the last person Roshi took home.
"I'm sorry we didn't get to do much alone today."
Mariah smiled, "It's ok. I'm just glad I got to spend the time with you that I did. The day was great fun."
"Well, can I make it up to you for not doing much just with you?"
Mariah blushed, "Um, maybe... What do you have in mind?"
"Ah," Roshi stumbled over the words. "Ah, ah, well, um, see, well, Kit got me these tickets to tomorrow's dance. You know when they open the summer festival down by the beach? Well I was wondering if... if you..."
"Oh Roshi I'd love to!" Mariah said as she jumped on him and pulled him into a hug.
Roshi didn't know what to do, so he just stroked her back and let her hug him.
"I wish I could stay like this forever." Mariah whispered in his ear.
"I know."
She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you Roshi. Don't ever forget that."
Roshi smiled and practically choked on his words. "I... I know. I won't."
She pulled away, "so, when do you pick me up tomorrow?"
"Ah, well, I'm going to have to do some training tomorrow, so ah, How about we meet at the Beachside Park? It will be easier then if I had to pick you up and avoid the reporters that will probably be at your house again since they saw you with me today."
Mariah smiled. "Ah, well, ok, I guess that works. Now I just have to figure out what to wear!"
Roshi laughed. "Oh, well, that's easy. I gave Kit a sizable amount of cash and the instructions to get you and take you out shopping tomorrow. No buts or excuses. The night will be on me."
Mariah looked subdued. "If you insist. But I'm still getting the cheapest one. You don't need to spend money on me to make me happy Roshi.
"I know, but it isn't for you. I'm doing it for really selfish reasons. See, if you get all decked out in the fanciest most beautiful gown, it won't make you any more beautiful, but all the other ladies out there will see it and be jealous and it will make me look all that much better you see." He winked at her.
Mariah started laughing. "Roshi you are such a, a, card! Don't you ever take anything seriously?"
Roshi sobered immediately. "Yes, which is why I want tomorrow night to be perfect. I don't know when the Changeling will arrive. And when it does, well... My family will either save the world, or die trying. I don't want to scare you, but I'm being honest when I say that if we fail... there won't be anymore dances or malls or days to have fun, because there won't be anymore anything."
"Roshi, I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."
Roshi tickled her in the side, "No you didn't! I know, it is ok, really. But I need to go. I've goofed off enough today."
"Oh, alright. Well, I'll see you tomorrow night." Mariah said as she got out of the van and ran to her house past the various reporters who were now staked out on the street.
"Whoo, I'm glad the van has one way glass. All I need is someone printing the two of us kissing or something. I hate reporters."
* * *
Wednesday, June 25 4:00 pm
It had been a hard day of training. Because of his cavalier attitude the previous day, Roshi had had to fight everyone at once, and then fight all three fusions at once, and then fight Ichigo, Piccolo, and Nail at once. And then fly laps around the planet to work on his speed. While flying around the planet wasn't that hard of a training exercise, doing it several times in an hour gets quite tiring.
"Dende I'm stiff. I'm going to fall asleep dancing with Mariah tonight." He said to himself as he tried for the twentieth time to tie his bowtie.
"There finally." Roshi said as it finally tied right.
He looked himself over and decided that he was about as decent looking as he ever got. "Well it's about as good as it gets for me."
He grabbed the flowers he had picked from his mother's garden for Mariah and walked out the door.
He was about to take off when Ichigo suddenly ran out of Pan's house. "Roshi! Do you feel that?" She asked.
It was the first time she had spoken to him since the previous morning.
"Feel whaa..." Roshi started to ask when he realized that the ominous feeling he had been getting was more than just predate jitters.
Roshi dropped Mariah's flowers. 'No! not now! Not today! No! This can't be happening!"
Roshi's dad ran up to them. "Roshi, I'm sorry, but you need to change. The Changeling is here... or at least it will be shortly."
Roshi closed his eyes. "I know. I can feel it too. I need to call Mariah."
Roshi ran up to his room and told his computer to dial Mariah's number as he grabbed a clean Green and black gi from his closet.
"This is the Smart residence. I am sorry but we can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message after the tone."
BEEEP
"Mariah, I am sorry, this is Roshi, I am so sorry, but the Changeling is... is here. I won't make it to the dance. I'm sorry..." Roshi would have said more, but the answering machine cut him off and hung up on him.
He called Kit, but she wasn't home either.
"DAMN IT!" Roshi yelled as he threw his tux across the room. "Why does this always happen to me? Why can't I just for once be normal? Why?"
Roshi shook his head. "Because, because I am not normal. I need to get my head on straight. I am not normal and I should stop pretending I am. I need to focus now. I've got a Changeling to kill." He said to himself in the mirror.
It didn't help his nerves.
* * *
Roshi, Ichigo, Tee, Boxers, Piccolo, Nail, Goshu, and Yoshi watched the large saucer ship land on top of Banana's ship. Banana's ship was crushed like an egg in an instant.
"Three thousand." Goshu said suddenly. There are three thousand solders in the ship and one Changeling. Unless of course one of them is hiding it's ki, but I doubt they can do that."
The Changeling's men started to funnel out of multiple ports of the ship and surround the gathered fighters.
Then a large gray and white horned being walked out of the ship. It stood at least 2.8 meters tall (9'2") and had a tail that was easily twice the length of its height. It scanned them and then laughed in a deep timbering baritone. "My my, what a pathetic bunch of weaklings you have found to protect you Princess."
Tee turned to Ichigo. "Damn he's big an ugly."
Ichigo just stared as if in shock.
Roshi nudged her. "Ichigo what's wrong? Do you know who this is?"
She slowly nodded her head. "Yeah, we're in trouble. It's Snow. She's Blizzard's daughter."
Tee looked from Ichigo to Snow and back to Ichigo again. "You sure that's a girl. It doesn't look like a girl to me!"
Roshi had to agree with Tee. Snow, if that was its name didn't have anything noticeable that he would normally associate with the feminine gender.
Ichigo glared at Tee. "Look at my chest one more time and if we live through this fight I swear I'll rip your balls off and feed them to you for your last meal. Changelings are reptilian you moron. The females are plainly colored, bigger, stronger, and more powerful. The only saving grace is they are also slower and dumber then the males. Unlike in mammals where the females are smaller, faster, smarter, and better looking then the males."
"Oh, ah ok." Tee agreed before he realized what Ichigo had actually said. "Hey!"
"Children this is hardly the time." Goshu scolded.
Snow laughed. "Look at them, they fight amongst themselves. Kill them, leave me the bitch. I don't want to waste any more time than I need to."
With those words the three thousand solders attacked, and the battle for Earth's survival was under way.
* * * ** * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ** * * * * * * * * ** * * * * *
This chapter is dedicated to A-man for being the first and the longest standing reviewer.
Special thanks goes to Mahonuts for editing part of this chapter.
Since Funmation decided to make Frieza sound like a girl, I decided to make the
female Changelings sound like men. Only
makes sense to me.
Thanks for reading. Please! Please!
Please Review!!
