This chapter is for anyone who has a heart and has had it broken.
A Woman's Heart
Thursday, June 26, 10:10 am
"Just go away. I don't want you here right now." Mariah said with a forceful sigh.
Roshi stood there dumbstruck. He didn't know what to do. He had nothing he could say to her. Nothing. For the second time in a day it felt like his soul was being ripped apart. Never in his life had he been so very very alone.
Roshi took a step towards her, "Mariah if you would just let me explain."
"No, just leave. I don't want an explanation. It is too late for that now." Mariah said with a note of finality to it.
Roshi felt his anger flare for a moment, but he suppressed it, or at least he tried to suppress it and clenched his fists. "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath.
Mariah backed up and practically fell into her chair. Roshi took a deep breath and tried to relax. He realized he had just shattered several of the floor tiles without even doing anything. He looked into Mariah's eyes and his heart just about stopped.
Fear. Roshi hated the look of fear. He didn't like seeing it on people he disliked. Seeing it on Mariah's face almost stopped his heart.
"I'm so sorry." He said softly. He turned around and paced for a moment. "I'm sorry you feel that way. I always thought there would always be time to tell you everything when you were ready. I guess I was wrong. I never meant to hurt you." He said facing away from her. He then turned and continued. "Since you don't want another lie I need to tell you something important. Will you listen?"
"Yes." Mariah said, her face softening.
Roshi glanced around the room one more time just to make sure he wasn't dreaming. "Last night wasn't the end of this. The people that attacked Earth are holding Saiya hostage. Several others and myself are leaving, probably tonight to go there in hopes of saving the people of Saiya. I can't lie, after what happened last night I don't expect to come back. I'm sorry I hurt you, but I have to go now. I'm sorry." He said again before turning to rush out the door.
"WAIT!" Mariah yelled after him. "Roshi come back. I'm sorry I over-reacted! Last night was just so... Oh, Roshi you have no idea how bad it felt when you didn't come and you didn't come. And then John came and he saved me. And then he got hurt and now... Oh Roshi don't leave me alone again. I don't think I can bare it."
* * *
Mariah was frightened. 'I just lost my best friend,' she realized. She couldn't really see his face. Her glasses were at home and the doctors had made her take her contacts out. She couldn't see him clearly so she had no idea how he was reacting. She could have sworn his hair had flashed and glowed golden for a second, but she wasn't sure. All she knew was he was different. He wasn't the same happy-go-lucky cheerful Roshi she had always known. He had changed, and now he was leaving her.
Mariah felt like everything she knew about life had just fallen down. It was rather surreal, as though gravity had just stopped working. Or something equal to that in impossibility had happened. Roshi was always there for her. But last night he hadn't been and that betrayal of belief hurt. And now he was just going to leave... and he didn't say goodbye... and that hurt.
'Please comeback. Please make everything better again. Please make this bad dream go away.' Mariah thought to herself.
And then to her resounding relief, Roshi came back in and hugged her. Mariah sighed contently. "You can. I know you can. You may not want to, but you can." He said softly into her ear.
She wanted to stay there in his arms forever. She didn't know why, but she always felt safer when wrapped in Roshi's strong arms. He was like the rock of Gibraltar, ever steadfast. Then her hand dropped from Roshi's back and brushed against the bed John was in. All the emotions and fears from last night came flooding back and she realized that Roshi wasn't steadfast. He hadn't been there for her. She knew that he hadn't abandoned her. She knew he had to have been doing something vitally important. But it still felt like betrayal.
"No... I can't" Mariah said while pushing Roshi away from her. "Look at John. He might never wake up again and all he did was save me. I don't know if I can live with that. I... I feel like it's my fault he's hurt!"
Roshi took a step away from her and then walked up near John's head. "What's wrong with him?" He asked quietly.
Mariah looked down at her feet and wanted to cry. "The Dr. said that he had a fractured skull and a severe concussion." She stopped to sniffle a bit. "If he doesn't wake up in the next few hours they said he would probably have really bad brain damage." She carefully sat back down as to not put more pressure on her ankle, and then hugged herself.
Roshi glanced around the room again and even without her glasses she could see his shoulders slump. 'Why does he keep looking around the room?' Mariah thought to herself as she tried to see what was so interesting. The room was a normal recovery ward. It had been designed for five beds, which could be separated with curtains. Now however there were far more than the normal five patients in the room.
Roshi took a deep breath and then walked over towards the window. "Why hello there Ima. You seem to always be lurking in the shadows."
Mariah almost fell over in her chair. 'Ima Gossip is in this room? Oh no, Roshi's going to kill me. Now I've really gone and done it!'
Roshi turned around and looked back at Mariah. She couldn't make out his face, but the way he paused made it seem like he was nervous. "I will be right back. I need to get something."
Roshi then turned to talk to Ima. "Well you wanted the story of your life time? It looks like you are about to see it."
"Roshi no!" Mariah heard herself yell as she realized he was opening the window.
Roshi jumped out of the third story window. Ima actually surprised Mariah by trying to jump up, she was actually acting worried. But then Roshi floated up past the window and then flew away.
"How on Earth did he do that? What's going on here? What did you mean by he knew people were coming to attack Earth?" Ima started firing off questions left and right as she wheeled her wheel chair over to where Mariah was sitting.
'How could I not realize that Ima Gossip was in this room?' Mariah implored herself. 'Roshi is never going to forgive me for this. I can't believe I said those things. Oh!'
Ima finished wheeling herself over to Mariah. Even without her glasses she could see that Ima had had both of her legs amputated.
At first Mariah took pleasure in the sight of Ima cut down in such a manner. Then she was horrified at herself for even thinking such a thing. "What happened to you? How did you lose your legs?"
Mariah could hear Ima grind her teeth. "See that is a funny question. See from what I understand the Capsule Corp released a statement AFTER these aliens landed and attacked us. From what I was told before you even were brought here, the Royal military was decimated. Yet here your boyfriend who you say KNEW these aliens were coming comes in here with out a scratch, without a bruise. I would say I lost my legs because of one of those lies you were just saying he told."
Mariah was taken back by the pure venom that dripped from Ima's words. 'How can she hate so much?'
"Well, do you have anything to say? Or are you just a little hussy that has to protect her boyfriend and can't think for herself?"
Mariah glared acidly at Ima. "I'm not a hussy, and Roshi isn't my Boyfriend."
"Oh really! Then what is he to you? Just a friend? I'm not blind little girl. I can see the way you look at him. You want him. If he were a dog you would tie him up an never let him go."
"I... I do like him ok, but it isn't like that!"
"No I guess not, especially with lover boy running around with a girl that doesn't exist. Don't tell me you aren't jealous."
"Huh? I don't... Oh you mean what's-err-name?"
"Yes! Exactly! You tell me, what is her name? She doesn't exist. They claimed she was from some forgotten village and was a student of Master Son. But she isn't. I checked into it. She isn't a student. No one had ever seen her before a few weeks ago. And suddenly no one ever sees her unless she is right by your little friend." Ima snorted. "You know he's just using you. Who is she? You have to know something."
'Who is she? Oh, she's just a space Princess. She's just a member of the same alien race that I guess Roshi belongs to. She's just perfect looking. She's just everything I'm not. That's who.' Mariah thought to herself.
"Look, I don't want to talk about this." Mariah said defensively. She turned and faced John.
Ima started laughing. "Oh you stupid, stupid girl! Who is this one to you? Is he just the replacement?"
"Leave him out of this you vile woman!" Mariah yelled. It took a lot to make her angry but now that she was she had a temper. "He has nothing to do with this. He got hurt saving me last night! He just happened to be in the right place at the right time and paid for it ok?"
"Oh you mean he was where Roshi wasn't? He was there and the boy you think you love wasn't?" Ima laughed with a sneering tone. "Get it though your head girl, the boy is just using you. He's just like his family. All they do is use people. They use people and we practically worship them. He doesn't love you. He probably never did!"
Mariah jumped to her feed and hobbled over to Ima without using her crutches. "Roshi is my best friend and nothing you can say will ever change that! He wasn't there for me last night but I am sure he has really good reasons for it! I don't want and I don't need your sick twisted petty and jealous opinion. Just because you have never known love, have never had a true friend, and probably from the way you act have never trusted anyone in your life does not mean you can bad mouth me, or Roshi, or John or anyone else!"
"Oh really?" Ima scoffed, "then why are you so nervous? Why are you so mad? You're lying to yourself and you don't even know it!"
"I said shut up!"
A nurse came rushing into the room. "What is going on in here?" He asked sounding just a fraction of a measure from exhaustion.
"Oh, nothing! I was just asking this young lady a few questions about the events of this past day and the trauma must have gotten to her." Ima said in the cheesiest sugar coated voice Mariah had ever heard.
"Oh please! This woman is interrogating me and being horribly rude to me. Could you take her to a different room?" Mariah pleaded.
"Now, now that shouldn't be needed. I was just asking a few harmless questions. Nothing to get all excited about. Please sir don't trouble yourself anymore with this little spat. It isn't worth the trouble."
"Don't listen to her she's just acting nice so you go away. This is Ima Gossip. Have you watched her on the news ever? If one person exemplifies bitch it is her!"
"Oh now, now, that was just hurtful! Why would you say a thing like that?" Ima asked sounding very surprised and indeed hurt by Mariah's words.
Mariah had to admit Ima was very good at playing people to get her way. The nurse just raised his hands in submission and let his arms drop to his sides. "Whatever, I don't care, just no more yelling!" He said before he turned around and left.
"Thank you, sorry to have bothered you!" Ima called after him before turning to Mariah. "Nice try, but your outclassed."
Mariah decided not to say anything. She instead just sat there and ignored Ima, waiting patiently for Roshi to get back.
She couldn't ignore the fact that Roshi had just jumped out of the window and flown off without pause because she had forced him away. She had forced him into it. At least she felt she had forced him away.
* * *
Roshi practically dragged Dende through the air as he flew. 'I am never going to be able to explain this.' Roshi shook his head sadly. 'I can't blame Mariah for her words, but she chose a horrid time to express them. Gah, why does Ima always have to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?'
'No Roshi, don't worry about Ima, she isn't actually the problem. The real problem is how I have been treating Mariah and what I am going to do about it. I never meant to hurt her. I thought by not telling her things I was protecting her. I guess I was wrong.'
"Looks like we are here." He said to Dende as he approached the window to the hospital. He waited for Dende to crawl through the window before he followed.
Mariah was red in the face and looked if anything even angrier than she had been before.
"Ack! What is this? Get away from me!" Ima squawked when Dende took a step further into the room. He was still several meters away from where she sat in her chair but she didn't seem to care.
"What is going on here? How can you fly? And who's the old freak?"
"I can fly because I am a master martial artist. Flying is nothing new. It is called Bukujutsu. Go look it up in the old records of the Budoukai back in the 22nd and 23rd Budoukais to be specific. A lot of people can do it. They just choose not to."
"Oh right, and I suppose you can throw flashy blue energy around like those idiots who fought Cell did."
Roshi's head dropped in surprise and his jaw bounced off of his chest. No one had ever really doubted that the people who showed up had just ceased to exist or something when the fight was over.
"Ima, Ima, Ima, you are so blind. You only see the things you choose to see." Roshi replied
"Well right now I see a habitual liar trying to get away with it again. For example, what did your little girlfriend mean when she said you knew those aliens were going to be coming? I really want to hear this answer. How are you going to cover for what you and your family allowed to happen last night? How are you going to make the world see the other way? How are you going to duck responsibility for the deaths and destruction that your family caused?"
Roshi paused for a moment and clenched his fists. It was too easy to anger now. It was too easy to hate. "I'm not going to. We didn't cause anything last night."
"Then you are calling her a liar?" Ima turned and glared at Mariah. "I told you he is just using you."
"I'm not using anyone. Well except for Dende here, but that isn't important in this. Mariah isn't right, but she isn't lying either. You always wanted the story of your life well here it is. Yes, we knew that Aliens were coming to attack the Earth."
Ima scoffed. "And yet you did nothing? You warned no one? You just let them attack and kill and maim? That is the most vile thing I have ever heard in my life."
"Well if it isn't the pot calling the kettle black! Yes, we knew they were coming. No we did not cause them to attack, nor did we cause the damage that happened last night. Ask Mariah, we didn't know when they would get to earth, only that they were coming. Should have we warned people weeks ago only to have caused weeks of fear and hardship?"
Roshi paused to take a breath. "So you want the truth. The most you can condemn my family for was not doing enough to stop them." Roshi turned and walked closer to Mariah. "Oh and before you make any more comments. We did stop them. It wasn't the police, or the military, though they did try valiantly, but it was my family. I am sorry you lost your legs, but it isn't my fault, and to blame me and my family is not right."
Ima grimaced. "Fine, I don't know why but I believe you. Just tell me one thing. Just one thing."
Roshi knew better than to agree, but he didn't see how he had much choice. "Ok, what?"
Ima smirked at him. "Who is the other girl? Who is the girl with the long black hair that you claimed was a student of your fathers? I know she isn't. So the only thing I can come up with is that she is somehow related to these aliens that keep attacking the Earth. Who is she and what role does she play in all of this?"
Roshi looked at Dende. Dende just shrugged. He looked at Mariah. She stared blankly off into space and didn't even look at him. "Her name is Ichigo, beyond that it is not my right to disclose information. However the aliens that attacked the night the moon was destroyed and those that attacked last night came specifically to kill her."
"Did they succeed?"
"No."
* * *
For a few moments the room was silent. Only the whirring of a heart-lung machine and the beeping of monitors indicated the room was occupied. Mariah couldn't see, but she knew all the patients who were in the room and conscious had their eyes riveted to Roshi and Ima Gossip.
Mariah didn't know what to think. Roshi had always been smart. But this wasn't the Roshi she knew. The Roshi she knew would have never challenged Ima. He would have never argued with her. He would have never done anything like this new bold Roshi that stood before her.
'I don't even know him anymore.' She realized with a start. She had always known he had secrets. She had always known he was different. But she had always thought she had known him. She thought she had known who he was when everything else was stripped away. But now, now he was different. He was bold, he was not afraid.
'It's her.' Mariah realized. "You were fighting for her last night weren't you? That's why you weren't at the dance. You were protecting her!"
"Oh look, you made your girlfriend cry." Ima scoffed. "So were you. Were you protecting her last night? This girl that obviously isn't even human?"
Mariah held her head in her hands and sobbed. She thought she heard Roshi sigh but she couldn't tell.
"Why doesn't it surprise me to hear a racist comment from you?" Roshi replied taciturnly. "There are a lot of people that are not human on this planet. Kit, one of my best friends, is a Vulpine and she has to put up with idiots like you every day. Your question is insulting." He spat.
"Doesn't change the fact that it was true." Ima remarked. "I told you he was just using you."
Mariah jerked her head up and glared at Ima. "Shut up!"
"What you can't stand the truth. What's the truth Roshi? Why was this, what did you call her? Ichigo worth sacrificing everyone on this planet for? Because Oakum's Razor points out if the aliens only wanted her dead, giving her up would have saved a lot of lives. Who are you to choose one life over thousands?"
"You don't understand." Roshi replied. He had walked over by Mariah and was now kneeling by her chair. "Mariah you have to believe me I never meant for any of this." He said quietly into her ear.
Mariah sobbed. "Then what did you mean to happen? Why did this happen? I don't know you anymore Roshi. You're not the same person I know. You are not the same Roshi I am friends with. You've changed."
"I would say he had grown rather callous." Ima retorted. "Since when was one life worth thousands? What did she do to get you to betray everyone on this planet?"
"I wasn't sacrificing anything. Ichigo came here for help. The same people that attacked Earth attacked her world. They came here to stop her from getting help. We could have told her to go away. I suppose like you said we could have even given her to them. But than we would have been callous."
"Oh you want to claim you are doing something heroic. Death is still death. You let this happen. You let these people get hurt. You caused me to loose my legs. You maliciously disregarded the lives of everyone on this planet for one girl from some already dominated people on some far off world? Death is still death. Pain is still pain. You caused this tragedy and I am going to do my most to make sure you pay for your crimes."
Roshi sighed. "Be careful with the hatred you plan on spreading. Hatred may have a small seed, but once planted it has deep roots. You may not be able to stop it from growing beyond your control."
"You are pathetic. You warn me about the dangers of hate, after what you did I hope the people do hate you. You and your family willingly condemned thousands to die and tens of thousands to get hurt for people they don't even know. You willingly chose to let people die. That young man is evil incarnate."
Mariah looked up. "No it isn't." She said softly.
"Oh please, do not tell me that you are going to support him in this. He's just using you."
Mariah stood up and hobbled over to Ima's wheelchair. "You don't know anything about Roshi. I was wrong to be mad at him earlier. I blamed him for what happened last night for the same reasons you are villainating him now. You say they could have just given what's her name to the aliens that attacked us last night. They would have gone away and nothing would have happened on earth. Would that have been a good thing?"
"YES! I cannot believe you are so dense. Trade one life for thousands, the math isn't that complex!"
"So you would condemn an entire planet, an entire race to their deaths just because it would be mathematically simpler for you?" Mariah practically gasped.
"We were not part of this. We never should have been part of this. In their desires to be heroes Roshi's family put innocent people at risk. If that girl wanted help she should have gone to the King. Instead, his family makes up a story to cover for her. The only reason they would have to lie is obvious. They don't want everyone to figure out just how badly the Capsule Corporation has been using us all these years. I'm telling you, they were protecting their own interests, nothing more." Ima replied viciously.
Mariah was about to say more when Roshi placed his hand on her shoulder. "It isn't worth fighting with her. She will believe what she will believe."
Ima snorted, "Who's the green freak?"
Roshi turned to Dende, "I am sorry you had to watch that, but I need to ask you a favor. I know that this is breaking about a million rules and what not, but I need your help." Roshi sighed and then continued on. "This is Earth's Kami. His name is Dende."
Ima rolled her eyes. "You are pathetic. Not only are you full of self-aggrandizing crap, but you are delusional as well. The stories about Kami are bedtime stories meant to make children be good. There is no such thing."
Dende laughed. "You poor lost soul. I am quite real. What I am doing standing before you now Roshi has yet to tell me, but I am quite real."
Roshi looked over at Mariah and John. "I... I need you to, if you have the strength, to heal people. I know it is a lot to ask, but if you would just walk through this hospital it would mean so much."
Dende sighed and placed his hands on Roshi's shoulders. "Roshi, you know I am not supposed to interfere with the way life progresses on this planet."
"Dende I know, but look at her." He said pointing at Ima. "The people need something to believe in. If you were to heal just a few of them before going back to the Sanctuary it would mean so much.
"What is this bull? And stay away from me. I don't need you practicing voodoo arts or some other witchcraft fake healing on me." Ima stated.
"Ignore her, she knows not what she says." Roshi commented.
Mariah couldn't see that well but she could tell that Dende was fidgeting. This was obviously a hard question for him.
"Dende, please, don't do it for me, do it for them." Roshi pleaded.
"I will do as you ask. At least as long as I am able." Dende finally answered.
"Thank you."
Roshi then gently grabbed Mariah's hand. Just holding hands with him made her heart flutter a bit. "Can I talk to you in a more private place?"
"I ah, I guess," she stammered.
Much to her surprise Roshi lead her into the little hospital bathroom.
"I know, I know, this isn't the greatest place to talk, but at least Ima can't hear us." Roshi said before he grabbed something from one of his pockets. "I stopped by your house on the way to get Dende. Your mother was worried sick about you, but she is a lot calmer now. Anyway, I picked up your glasses."
Mariah could have just melted. This was the Roshi she knew. He was so thoughtful and willing to go out of his way for people. "Roshi, you, you didn't have to do that, but thank you!" She said as she put her glasses on directly before she practically leapt into him to hug him.
"So you're not mad at me anymore?" Roshi asked. He sounded worried.
"Oh, Roshi I... I, this is complex. I'm not mad at you. I never really was. I was mad at fate I guess."
Roshi rolled his eyes. "Blame Kit then. She's the one who is always talking about fate." He said with his goofy little grin.
"Roshi, I'm serious. This isn't funny. I did mean those things I said. You show over and over and over again what a great kind wonderful guy you are, but I don't know you. You've never let me in. And it hurts. You just told Ima Gossip more about what's going on then you told me! And I thought I was one of your closest friends."
Roshi's face fell. "Mariah you are. You are one of my best friends."
"But obviously nothing more." It was a statement not a question and while Mariah felt the tears welling in her eyes she knew it was true the moment she said it.
"Roshi, I'm not mad at you, but I can't forgive you either. You have no idea how bad it hurts to realize you don't trust me, that you never did trust me. You have no idea what it felt like to stand out there and watch you argue with Ima and realize that that was not the same Roshi I thought I loved."
"Mariah, I, I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was protecting you. I'm so sorry."
"I know, I know you are and that you didn't, but it still hurts. I don't know you anymore, and I don't think I ever did to be honest. I know what kind of a person you are, but not who you are."
'I need the kind of person you are Roshi, can't you see that. I want to be your friend. Why can't you trust me? Why didn't you ever let me see who you are?' Mariah thought as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"So where do we go from here? I can't change the past. I wish I could, but I can't" Roshi asked her in almost a whisper.
"I don't know. I need time to think I think. All this happened so fast and... I just need time to think things over. Besides, didn't you say you were leaving tonight anyway?" Mariah said.
Roshi suddenly slammed his fist into a towel hanger. The metal bent and fell off the wall. Mariah practically fell down backward in fright. "Damn it!" Roshi yelled. "I don't want to leave it like this. I don't want to leave you confused."
"But you have to. You have to save those people. It's who you are. I realized that just now. You always have you always will go out of your way to make people happy. You care for people. That's why you helped what's her name..."
"Her name is Ichigo." Roshi deadpanned.
"What ever! It doesn't matter what her name is!" Mariah yelled back. "You have to go and you have to save her people so she can go back to them and we can go back to being high school kids again. And I need to think things over. I'm sorry Roshi, but I can't talk to you more now. I have to leave!" Mariah said as she pushed her way past him and ran out the door of the mini-bathroom.
She barely left the main hospital room when John caught her. "Hey Mariah wait! What's going on? I don't remember much about last night but then I woke up with this green guy looking at me and I heard you fighting with someone in the bathroom. Are you ok?"
Mariah looked past John to see Roshi leave the Hospital room. Roshi looked at her once and then looked down at his feet. As he slowly turned and walked away from her Mariah couldn't help but think she would never see him again.
"No John, I'm not ok. I just lost my best friend. I really don't want to talk about it." She said, as she turned away and hobbled down the hallway.
* * *
Roshi shook his head and clenched his fists as he walked out of the Hercule Satan Memorial Hospital. "Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid!"
'I can't believe I was so stupid. I need to remember to engage my brain before my mouth! I just broke her heart and I didn't do anything to stop it. I have to be the worlds largest idiot!'
The area around the hospital was surprisingly undamaged in comparison to the rest of Satan City. Roshi walked past a series of tents the police and rescue units had set up to help those who did not have major injuries. Behind that there was a blood bank that had quickly set up. People were walking about near there holding signs and asking for people to give blood.
Roshi tried to avoid them but they caught him trying to sneak down a back alley. "Young man, would you help save lives today? Would you give blood?"
'Needles, I hate needles.' Roshi thought to himself, as he got queasy.
Not only that but Roshi knew for a fact his blood type would probably cause some problems with the blood bank. Roshi had a few Saiyan antibodies that would probably not be a good thing to give to an injured or dying person.
"Um... ah... See, ah I would but... ah... every time I've ever given blood, I've ah... passed out. I can't stand needles."
The nurse looked like she wanted to give him a hug. "Oh you poor thing. I understand, but this might save someone's life."
Roshi blinked. He had to admire the woman for her desire to help people, but he really hated how some aid organizations used guilt to get people to help them. True charity should not have to be coerced, it should be freely given.
"Please, I know that fact, but I can't. I just can't." Roshi said before turning away from her and jogging quite swiftly down the alley and out of her line of sight.
'And I run away again.' Roshi thought to himself as he kicked a trashcan down the alley. The aluminum can collapsed from the impact and then flattened itself into a brick wall several blocks down.
'I'm tired, I need to go home and sleep. I can't help more here.'
* * *
Roshi didn't make it home. As he flew over a section of the city that had sustained extensive damage, he saw rescue workers trying to clear a path for a crane to make it to a collapsed building. It was obvious by the way the workers were working that there were people trapped within the building.
A commotion of cries and alarm went up as the damaged superstructure of the building settled some more. This cased the debris to shift almost trapped some of the rescue workers.
'We didn't cause the aliens to attack. But we didn't do enough to stop them.' His own words rang in his ears.
Roshi landed and walked up to the person whom was in charge. The construction foreman saw him approaching and put down the blue prints they were using to figure out a way to get at the people trapped inside without causing the building to collapse more. She walked over towards him. "Young man you are going to have to leave. It's not safe for you to be here."
Roshi glanced over his back down the street to where the crane was blocked by not only craters in the road, but overturned cars and pieces of buildings. "Looks like you need help, I'm not going anywhere."
The contractor was now joined by a police officer. "Excuse me but you have to leave, this area is off limits to civilians." The burly man said as he walked up.
"Ma'am, Sir, I would like to introduce myself..." Roshi started, but he didn't get to finish.
"I know who you are, you are that Son kid that caused all the problems at the mall two weeks ago. Now are you going to leave peacefully or not?" The officer said quite threateningly.
"Neither, I am going to help you save lives, if you'll let me that is." Roshi said as he calmly walked over and picked up an overturned garbage truck and easily set it back onto its wheels. "When you pick your jaws back up off the ground you can tell me what you want moved and I will move it."
"How, how, how did you do that?!" The cop asked dumbfoundedly before he passed out.
The contractor just looked at him in shock and then pointed to a large chunk of rubble. "You can start by moving that."
* * *
2:30pm
Roshi finally made it home. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to sleep. He had been up for more than 38 hrs. He had not eaten enough, and not only had he trained, fought and killed Snow, but also spent most of the night being helping people in ways that didn't seem spectacular, only to finish the last few hours off moving literally tones of debris. His mind was spent, and his body was not far behind.
Roshi unceremoniously collapsed into his bed. "What a fucking wonderful day. Mariah is never going to... ZZzzzz."
Roshi had only been asleep for a few moments when several sharp knocks sounded off of his balcony door.
"Go away I too tired ta talk now." Roshi slurred from his bed.
Ichigo opened the door and walked into his room. "Roshi we need to talk."
Roshi was fast asleep again.
Ichigo walked over to his bed and poked him. "Hey! I was talking to you!"
Roshi rolled over, but kept sleeping.
Ichigo stood up looked around his room. "Stupid jerk!" She said to the air before leaving. If he wasn't cognoscente enough to wake up and talk to her she didn't want to tell him what she was thinking. He would never remember the conversation.
* * *
5:30 pm
Kit landed her jetcopter next to the other jetcopters that had descended like buzzards on the Son estate.
'Roshi can't do anything normal.'
Kit had to walk through Son Beth's garden to get to the house. She cringed at the sight of how badly trampled some of Roshi's mother's prize flowers were. 'Beth is going to kill people when she sees this.' There was even one jetcopter parked on top of Beth's roses. 'Hmmm BZTV news, that station is going to be very sorry.'
Kit walked through the hedge archway that marked the boarder of Beth's garden and stopped dead on her feet. 'There's no way I'm getting through that!'
There were literally hundreds of reporters, protestors, and other people camped out on the front lawn shouting at the house hoping to get a few questions answered.
Kit saw them haggling a grounds keeper and she knew she needed to make herself scarce. If she never had another interview session with the local news, she would still have had too many in her life.
So she slipped back around a small bulwark that ran next to a fountain and patio and then scooted over to the back door of the garage. The door was locked, but a security camera must have seen her approaching because directly after she tried the door, it clicked and opened. "Come on in Kit." Roshi's mother said through a hidden speaker.
The large garage was not connected to the main house, at least not above ground. Which was why no reporters had surrounded it. Kit quickly walked through the tunnel and into the basement of the Son Mansion. There in the large dance hall she found a good number of Roshi's family.
"Hello Kit, nice to see you made it through the night in one piece." Son Beth said as she walked up. "Why are you here?"
"I need to talk to Roshi."
"Get in line." One of Roshi's uncles said. Kit was fairly sure it was Gotan. "That punk has a lot of explaining to do so why don't you just go back home."
Kit ignored the man and turned to Roshi's mother. "Where is Roshi?"
"He locked himself in the guest room over there." She said pointing. "He did so much and he needed his sleep so when the reporters started showing up and he couldn't sleep in his room he came down here."
"Why didn't your security system keep the reporters out? I thought the no fly zone thing locked aircraft that didn't have permission out."
Beth rolled her eyes. "Well normally it would, but with all the power stations knocked out all over the world we thought it best to use the power where it was actually needed.
"Oh," Kit looked around. "Is Slip or any of them around here?"
"No, Slip is still recovering at home. Her room got destroyed last night so she is rather depressed. Tee and Boxers are helping get the rescue ship loaded at the Capsule Corp. That Ichigo girl is over in Pan's house. So, sorry, no one your age around at the moment." Beth gave her a tight-lipped smile. "So what do you want to talk to Roshi about?"
Kit knew she could trust Beth, but she wanted to talk to Roshi first. "I would really rather keep that private for a while if you don't mind."
Beth grimaced slightly, but shook her head yes. "Well if you want to just sit down and wait I guess that is ok."
Kit went over to a couch and sat down. There were quite a few people she did not recognize in the room. She was fairly sure that the one was Gotan. Then there was his wife, who was talking to a woman that Kit thought might be Raven.
The only other person Kit knew was Max and she was off in the back glaring off into space. Kit had flown over the remains of Chichi's on the way to Roshi's house. Max probably wasn't one to talk to at the moment.
Kit sat for a few minutes but then decided to get up and walk around. She remembered distinctly from various games when she was younger that there was an old tunnel down here that connected the two houses. Kit walked around past the large grand staircase and an entertainment room with chairs set out and a large TV. Then she came to the end of the hallway were the Painting of Chichi and Goku hung. It was a lot easier to move the painting aside to trip the latch on the hidden door than it had been when she was twelve.
The tunnel was small and had quite a few cobwebs hanging about, which meant Roshi had not shown it to Ichigo. Kit almost turned around to go back to the ballroom. She hated cobwebs. They always got stuck in her fur and it causes so many problems. But in the end she crouched and ambled through the tunnel over to the other house.
Kit carefully opened the door to Gohan's old den and walked past his ancient oak and mahogany desk. The door to his den creaked as she closed it. Even though the house was kept in perfect cleanliness it was old and hardly used.
Kit walked up the stairs and through the dining room. She was just walking into the kitchen when fist shot from around the corner of the door and almost smashed her nose in. Kit leapt backwards and managed to not fall on her tail but she doubted her heart could beat any faster.
"Oh, it is just you. What are you doing here and how did you get in here?" Ichigo asked as she walked around the corner of the door.
'Just me? You just about killed me!' Kit took a deep breath. "Well right now I am trying to slow my heart rate." Kit said while she tried to get her fur to stop standing on end. "I thought attacking from hiding wasn't honorable."
What had been a rather neutral look on Ichigo's face quickly became a very menacing scowl. "It is not. Neither is sneaking around someone's house."
"This isn't your house."
Ichigo scowled even more. "You know what I mean. Now why are you here? I would have thought you would not like being anywhere near bigots like these."
Kit could hear the crowds outside the two houses, so she knew exactly what Ichigo was talking about. Ima Gossip had done her work quickly. Footage from when Ichigo had hit Rock as well as the video from the night Banana attacked and home videos showing the various non-humans who had attacked the night before had been compiled. Using the bi-line "Human lives sacrificed to protect unknown Aliens," She had created an anti-alien uproar among a large portion of the human population of the planet.
Kit swallowed and looked around. "No, I don't and that's actually why I came here. My parents wanted to leave yesterday but didn't, now after all the threatening phone calls, my dad took his private ship and went to Namek with my mother. I told them I had to talk to Roshi about something and would stay out of trouble. They didn't want me to go, but I grabbed the jetcopter and just came."
Ichigo gave her an odd look. "You came here against your parents wishes?"
"You don't know me and I didn't come talk to you to have you of all people judging me."
Ichigo smirked. "Takes courage to do what you just did. Even if what you did was dishonorable. I can see why you are one of Roshi's friends. You have spunk." Ichigo walked past her and into the dinning room where she sat down on one of the plush chairs. "Now why are you here."
"I said I wanted to talk to Roshi, but he's sleeping. Speaking of which you look really tired. How many hours of sleep did you get in the past few days?"
"I do not know, a few." Ichigo shrugged the question off. "I do not feel like sleeping. Roshi did his part. He saved this world. I have been told that we are leaving for Saiya in a few hours and I can't help but to wonder if there is any hope left."
Kit didn't know how to reply, so she just sat down across from Ichigo and waited.
Ichigo looked up. "I have learned so much since I left home. I was not ready for this, but I have learned so much. Yet at the same time, I can hold on to so little hope. I don't know how Roshi does it. I have only known him for a few months now and he is like no one I have ever known. Nothing stops him, ever."
"Roshi is one of a kind. That is for sure. But what worries you about saving your people." Kit asked, 'why on Earth is she opening up to me? I was just coming over here cause I didn't like the way Gotan was glaring at me.'
"I have tried to explain this to Roshi, but he just does not understand. He is not like any male I have ever met in my life, but he is still what he is." Ichigo seemed to stare off into space for a moment. "I turned seventeen while training with everyone in the Room of Spirit and Time. Seventeen is the age of majority for my people. If my father is dead when we get to Saiya, I will be Queen. I know I am not ready to be Queen."
"Whoa there! Hold up. Seventeen is the age of majority? That makes no sense. Roshi still looked like he was like eight or nine until he was like fourteen!"
Ichigo just shook her head. "I know, I tried to explain this to him the night he took me to that Charlie's Restaurant. But I don't think I got through to him.
Kit realized she wasn't seeing eye to eye with Ichigo so she decided to just move the conversation on. "Ok, so you are not ready to be Queen. Is anyone ever ready for responsibility to be thrust on them?"
Ichigo glared at her. "It is not that at all. It is just that I have never been good enough. I have never done anything that met with expectations. I have never been strong enough, or fast enough, to matter. Look out that window. Those people are blaming Roshi and his family for something I caused and I could not even make a difference in that fight. I was a bystander while Roshi's uncle lost his arm, and his friend was brutally murdered in front of him. All I could do was watch." Ichigo got up and started pacing the floor. "It is the second time Roshi has had to rescue me at the expense of family and friends."
"And now while the people on his own planet need them the most, his family is getting ready to leave and come with me into Kaio only knows how much danger to fight my fight for me. I need their help. I need them, but I have already cost them enough. I do not want to cost them anymore. I am responsible for saving my people, and failing in that I should die with them. But I cannot ask Roshi and his friends and family to throw away their lives for me and my people. I have already cost them too much as it is."
"I don't understand. Why do you think you have failed already?"
"Because we fought Snow yesterday that's why. Look at how much damage one ship of her troops did. Look at how much damage she did. In my society women rarely have the chance to advance beyond a common warrior, but the Changelings are Reptiles. Snow was Blizzard's daughter. She was huge and was probably his strongest general!"
"So... and that would mean?"
Ichigo threw up her hands and shook her head. "Gahhh! It means if Blizzard thought it worth sending her to do such a menial task as kill me then he has got to have more troops on Saiya then we could ever hope to beat. Blizzard never travels without his wife. Which means there is another female brute on Saiya. He himself is far and away stronger than any normal Changeling and he has to be on Saiya. Snow did that much damage in one night. Blizzard has been on Saiya for weeks!"
Ichigo collapsed into her chair. "I went along with Roshi and his plans because I honestly did not expect to survive. I had to try, but I did not expect I would ever be going back to Saiya. And now that there are only a few hours left before we do leave I have to stop them from throwing their lives away. Roshi has too much to live for to throw his life away on my behalf. The only problem is that Roshi will not talk to me. He has been avoiding me this entire week."
'Dende no! She sounds just like Mariah! Well not like Mariah but just like Mariah!' Had Kit not already been sitting, she would have fallen down.
She was about to say something when Ichigo suddenly jumped up. "Roshi is awake. How did you get into this house without anyone seeing you? We need to use that route to get to the other house."
"What, ah, how do you know he's awake?"
Ichigo tapped her sternum. "I can feel his ki. He's moving around."
Roshi had never exactly explained to Kit how one senses ki, but the way Ichigo had just indicated sent odd little chills down her spine. It was the same way Mariah always said she knew when Roshi was near. She could just feel him. 'Way way too much like Mariah.'
"Um, there is a tunnel back to the main house. Here, follow me."
* * *
"What were you thinking you little shit! The only thing that has been on the news today has been Ima Gossips hate mongering which you gave her the information for, and video of you moving around busses and parts of buildings like they were weightless! How could you be so carelessly stupid?!?" Gotan was yelling at Roshi as the two girls walked into the ballroom.
Before anyone could even blink, Roshi was Super Saiyan and had Gotan pinned to a Granite column that was set in the outside wall. "I know I am supposed to respect my elders but if you ever call me that again there won't be enough of you left to land on an atom!"
"Roshi!" Beth yelled suddenly. "What do you think you are doing? Put him down now!"
Roshi glared into Gotan's eyes and then set the man down. "You want to know what I was doing? I was saving lives! While you sat in your house last night and did nothing thousands of people were hurt or died because of our lies and our unwillingness to do what it took to prevent it. I don't care what you think about those idiots on the front lawn. I was doing what mattered. I was saving lives and if you want to condemn that then I will consider you just as vile and heartless as Snow. You wouldn't like to experience what I did to Snow."
Gotan grew very red in the face. "Is that a threat? You dare to threaten me after what you did? You could cost us everything. After all the stuff that damn reporter has said we could loose everything if the people found out the truth right now."
"So, we would still be better off then they would." Roshi said as he pointed at Kit and Ichigo. "Kit has no place to truly call home. She CAN'T hide who or what she is. And if we don't succeed in freeing Saiya from the Changelings, Ichigo won't have a home or a family left. We have our ships. We can always leave the Earth and go to Namek or someplace else. Where to people like those to go?"
"Who the fuck cares! They aren't important, they can go wherever it is they have to but I don't thing you understand a thing what your loose lips could have cost us. Thankfully they haven't figured out that we are not human yet, but with you throwing busses around what else are they supposed to assume? So would you stop worrying about other people for once and worry about your own family? Or are you suddenly too good for the rest of us?"
Roshi hit him.
"Oh my Kami! He's bleeding all over the place!" Gotan's wife screamed before she passed out.
"Roshi!" His mother said before she passed out as well.
Roshi looked down and then wiped the blood off of his gi. He was back to wearing his traditional Orange and Blue gi again and the red blood stained his pant leg turning it a brownish color after a few minutes.
"I only broke his nose and knocked him out. He'll be fine. And no I am not sorry." Roshi said as his hair turned black again. He walked over and gently patted his mother on the cheek trying to wake her up.
"So this is how it is going to be? You're going to bully us into submission? Raven asked.
Roshi looked up. "Are you going to tell me to my face that no one else matters? What he was saying is the heart of the hatred that is going on out there. In Gohan's time they used Hercules's fame to hide the truth. Not only for their own protection but so that the average people could live in peace. Gotan would have us lie to the people of earth for the exact reasons Ima Gossip says we are lying. If you want to cover for me then fine. Get any one of my father's human students. Sure they can't do as much as I could, but all of them can fly, and all of them can lift a bus without problem."
"We don't have to reveal everything about us, but I am sick of having to lie to my friends. I am sick of playing games. I am sick of not being able to help people because it would reveal too much. I am not sorry for letting myself get taped helping the rescue workers. I saved lives today. What were you people doing? Don't condemn me just because you are afraid of reality."
No one said anything. For several long seconds nothing. Then in the back, someone started clapping.
Roshi looked up and saw Max clapping.
"He's right. And that feeling in your stomach that you don't like right now is called guilt. You know he's right." Maxine said while she continued to clap.
"That doesn't change anything. This rescue mission is pointless. We need to salvage what we can of people's opinions on Earth. After last night we can't afford to let our best people leave now." Raven said.
Ichigo almost spoke, but Roshi was quicker. "No, we can't afford not to. Yes, we need to help the people of the Earth, but we can't just turn our backs on Ichigo and her people. If we were to abandon the rescue mission now, we would be condoning Snow and her attack. We would be condoning the aggression and terror of Blizzard. A line has to be drawn. We can't afford to condone the murder of an entire planet. For if we did, we would lose far more than any of us wish to admit."
Roshi walked around the room. "If I have learned one thing these past months it is that you can't shy away from adversity. You have to challenge it and beat it or it will clobber you. If we turned our backs now would you honestly be able to sleep at night. Knowing you could have saved a planet, but instead chose to let it and its people die because it was easier? I know I can't" Roshi said as he started walking towards Ichigo and Kit. "We already had this conversation at the Capsule Corp. As far as I know the mission is still on. I am not going to argue with you anymore."
Roshi walked up to Ichigo and Kit. "Kit you're covered in cobwebs. What were you doing crawling around in the old tunnels?"
Kit's jaw dropped and she blinked a few times.
Roshi laughed. "It doesn't matter. Just follow me." He turned to look at Ichigo. "Why don't we go get your stuff from the other house and bring it back here? I'm already packed. We need to leave for the Capsule Corp. in a few minutes."
The two girls followed him back to the other house and they continued to talk as they packed Ichigo's stuff.
Ichigo kept looking at him with a weird expression on her face. "Ichigo, what's up?"
Ichigo stopped folding the extra gi she had grabbed and looked up at Roshi. "Ah, well, ah, I just find it hard to accept that you are a Super Saiyan. It was always a myth and now you did what I thought was impossible. How does it feel to have so much..."
"Pain?" Roshi finished for her talking over her.
"What do you mean pain? You have so much power how could that hurt you?"
Roshi sighed and put down the spandex leggings he had grabbed off of Ichigo's stack. "I don't know. I don't even understand it really myself. Just, when Piccolo died like that. Something snapped. And it hurt. I've never hurt so badly in my life. You may think you want this but you don't. No one wants this. You don't want the hate. You don't want the hollow feeling I have now. Like I lost something and I don't quite know how to find it back."
Ichigo just blinked. "But the power you have..."
"Is enormous. And it let me beat Snow and it let me save everyone's lives. But it hurts. I feel so alone now. I feel so angry. You may want the power, but you don't want this."
Roshi would say no more so they finished encapsulating all of Ichigo's stuff and started back to the main house.
"So Kit, why are you here?"
"I talked to Mariah at the hospital. They won't release her until they know she won't have any blood clots and her ankle is setting right."
Roshi stopped walking, "you mean she didn't get healed by Dende?"
Kit shook her head. "She said you two were having a private conversation when Dende healed the people in the room and then worked his way down the hall. He was gone by the time you left."
Roshi shook his head. "Figures, the one person I really wanted to get healed didn't cause I wasn't thinking."
"Yes well she isn't mad, she said that the time will actually give her some time to think about you and her and your friendship."
Roshi's shoulders slouched. "Oh."
"Anyway, the real reason I came is she said you were going to Saiya in an attempt to rescue Ichigo's people. I want to go with."
Roshi dropped the stuff he was carrying. Ichigo just looked at Kit like she was totally insane.
"Absolutely not!" Roshi said. "I may be willing to risk my life but I won't let you risk yours. What do you think you can accomplish by coming with?"
Kit took a deep breath. "You don't understand I have to."
Ichigo stuck her hand over Roshi's mouth to stop him from answering. "No, you do not understand. The only non-Saiyans on Saiya right now are Blizzards troops. You cannot fight. The moment you are seen by even the weakest of civilians they will kill you thinking you are with Blizzard."
"Then I won't go on the planet. Please Roshi, I have to go with. You need people in directing you. You need people who can fly the ships. I am certified in astronavigation. I've flown the ship my dad uses in his work for the Capsule Corp. I have to come with."
Roshi just shook his head. "Why, tell me why. Then I might think about it."
"What do you remember about the race riots that happened in West City when you were five?"
"Just that a bunch of jealous idiots thought the Vulpines that were living in West City were being overpaid and treated better then everyone else. It ended when some of them attacked a school and a girl was... shot. Oh my Dende! You used to live in West City! Your family left after..."
"After Meiko died."
Ichigo didn't know what they were talking about but it was obvious she wasn't included any longer so she stayed out of it.
"When those men burst into the room I ran and hid. Meiko followed me, but then her shoe fell off. She went back to get it. I didn't even notice she wasn't following me anymore... and then... and then they shot her!"
"Kit, that wasn't your fault. Risking your life on Saiya isn't going to change that."
"I know that. I know I didn't kill her, but she was still my sister and you will never know what kind of a bond we had. I don't blame myself for her death. I blame myself for running away."
"But Kit, that's just crazy!"
"No it is not crazy. It makes perfect sense. She knows the danger involved. If she wants to come let her come." Ichigo said suddenly.
"Oh no! This is not happening!"
"Please Roshi! I need to come. I need to know I can face my fears and help someone else or I will never be able to forgive myself. Please I have no place to go. Don't turn me away."
"What do you mean? What happened to your parents?" Roshi asked suddenly worried.
"They're on their way to Namek."
"They abandoned you?"
"I ran away."
"You ran away! Kit this is insane! No, you can't come. After what you just told me how do you think your parent feel about this?"
"My parents understand or they wouldn't have let me get this far. They know it is my choice and they know I have to make it. Just like they had to come back to Earth when we moved to Satan City even though they didn't want to. Please Roshi! Ichigo already told me the risks. I need to come. I need to prove to myself that I can."
Roshi looked at Ichigo and she nodded.
He realized that Ichigo connected with Kit because she to felt she had run away. "Ok. But under no circumstance will you land on the planet, Ok?"
Kit hugged him. "Thank you Roshi!"
Roshi lead them to a capsule jet that was hidden in the underground hanger below the garage.
"Well ladies, this is our flight. Kit what do you have for clothing?"
"Just the clothes on my back."
"Fine, we can get more at the Capsule Corp."
Roshi stashed the rest of the luggage and climbed in the jet.
Max waved at him from the back seat.
"I'm coming with and nothing you do can stop me so don't even try." She said before he could even say a word.
With all the women in the jet, Roshi didn't even try to argue. "Well then welcome, I hope you remember what My dad taught you back in the days when you were as martial artist and not a cook."
"Well enough."
Roshi smiled. "Well at least I know the food will be good on the trip."
* * *
8:04 pm
Roshi watched, as the Earth grew small in his window. He didn't know if he would ever see it again. He had to admit that was a very frightening feeling.
He looked at his laptop computer and shook his head. Finally making up his mind he reached over and tapped the enter key.
Mariah's email opened.
I hope this gets to you before you leave to save the universe. I sit here and think about the fact that you are going to save people you don't even know and it warms my heart to think of how great a man you are Roshi. But at the same time it chills me.
You never let me be part of that greatness. I understand why now. And in a way I thank you for it. You were protecting me. I wish you could have told me, but you were protecting me. Please forgive me Roshi. But I don't need your protection anymore. You have bigger and more important things for you to protect. So as I cry here and type this I have to give you the honesty you deserve. When you are ready to include me in your greatness. When you are ready to let me know who you really are. Come back to me.
Until then, you have great things to accomplish that I am not part of. I hope to be part of them some day, but until you are ready, it won't work.
Good-bye,
Please come back to me.
Mariah
Roshi blinked at the tears that formed, but would not fall. Several hours later he sat down and wrote in his journal.
A woman's heart is a gift upon man.
Within which burns a fire which flames like the sun.
It sparkles brighter than the most rare of diamonds.
It is more valuable then the most precious of metals.
Yet, a woman's heart is as delicate as a single flake of snow.
It is as fragile as a crystal
If you love her,
Her heart will open on to you the most wonderful of treasures.
And her love for you will grow.
Yet, if you should scorn her,
The fire will dwindle to embers and die off.
Her love will dry like leaves in the fall.
Her heart will shatter,
And blow away like the wind blown leaves.
A new spring may come
But her love will never be quite the same.
Her fire will never burn so bright.
Her heart will never sparkle with quite the luster.
It will forever hold that touch of tarnish.
So if you love a woman,
Love her as you would the treasure she is,
And she will be more treasure then you will ever dream of.
This is for you Mariah. You are my squandered tarnished treasure. I can't let this end this way. I will come back for you.
* * *
This is an exceptionally long chapter... Please be kind and tell me what you think of it by reviewing.
Thanks
Oh, and if you leave your email, I will add you to my mailing list so you will know when the next chapter comes out.
Also, Please check out the new discussion board.
"smooster.proboards18.com/index.cgi" Place this after the http :// there is no www.
The Smooster
