Rurouni
By: Lady Jaye
Chapter 8: Thain's Mountain
"Ahh, they are finally coming Nerushi."
"Is Master Hiko with them?" the forest creature asked.
"Yes, both of them. Hiko Kenshin and Hiko Seijuro, the apprentice and his master." Thain rested a wrinkled hand on the gnarled wood of his ancient staff. Very good Hiko Kenshin, you have handled this well so far. The dwarf watched the skies expectantly.
"Master Thain, why is Hiko Kenshin so crucial? I know he is a Saiyan, and very powerful, but why him instead of the others? Did you see it in a vision?" Nerushi watched as the old man nodded his head in reply. The ancient dwarf had the gift of foresight, which allowed him to see into the future. However, the talent came and went like the rolling tides of the Quentus Sea. Thain had no control of the visions, and often didn't have complete understanding of them, but he trusted them.
It was because of one such vision that he had opened the barrier around Gaea, for one brief moment, to allow a certain young Saiyan to enter.
Several minutes passed before Nerushi spotted the group in the sky. In just moments since he'd seen them, they touched down on the mountain. The three Dei-sho bowed to the Dwarf, and then to Nerushi.
"We meet again Master Thain, Mister Nerushi. Please forgive us for our sudden…departure," Kando said. The dwarf merely chuckled good-naturedly, which sounded like a low rumble to the tall Dei-sho.
"Your departure was not unexpected, only sooner than I had expected." Huh? The rest of the group was surprised at this. Piccolo regarded the dwarf thoughtfully. He knew that was going to happen? How? The part of the Namek that had been Kame was intrigued.
Yahiko stared in awe at the dwarf. He had never seen a dwarf before. Most of them ranged up north, but he had only lived in the southern part of Gaea. He must be older than Dr. Genzai! The two hundred some-year old elf doctor was the oldest person that the young human knew. The young boy opened his mouth, intending to ask something profound.
"Wow! You're sure wrinkly!"
"Yahiko!" Kaoru and Megumi yelled.
"Oops." Well, he was wrinkly. Rather than be offended, the old man smiled at the young boy.
"This must be Myoujin Yahiko, the young apprentice of Kamiya Kaoru." Yahiko opened his mouth to protest the 'young' part, but a brief touch of Kenshin's hand shut him up.
"Yes Sir," he said instead. But he couldn't resist adding, "I'm the Great Myoujin Yahiko, Defender of Justice and the Warrior of a Thousand Faces!" Yahiko reddened as Sanosuke and Vegeta began roaring with laughter.
"Shut up!" He yelled at them, but the two only laughed harder. Yahiko heard a giggle behind him and he turned to glare at Kaoru and Megumi. "I said shut up!" Kenshin began chuckling too, much to the young swordsman's dismay. "Kenshin!" he pleaded.
"Aww, is Little Yahiko getting upset?" Sanosuke taunted him.
"I'M NOT LITTLE!!"
"Remember, he's the Warrior of a Thousand Faces!" Vegeta added, causing another roar of laughter from Sano. Then the half-elf remembered that he was still angry with the Saiyan for calling Kenshin a coward and he stopped laughing. Vegeta gave a grunt as he realized why, and pretended indifference.
Goku swallowed a chuckle himself. The boy acted more like Vegeta than the Saiyan would probably admit. Yahiko certainly had enough pride to be a Saiyan. The boy looked ready to explode, but his brother finally calmed him down.
"We are sorry Yahiko, we did not mean to offend, that we didn't. Please forgive this one for his rudeness."
"Mine as well," Seijuro added. He had been laughing as well.
"Well….okay, I'll forgive you this time." Yahiko said with as much honor as he could muster. He failed to notice the twinkle in Kenshin and Seijuro's eyes. Thain chuckled to himself as he addressed the tall Saiyan behind Yahiko.
"And this must be Hiko Kenshin. I must say Master Hiko, that you did a fine job of raising this one." Seijuro bowed his head in a gesture of thanks for the compliment. The ancient dwarf eyed the impatient Dei-sho before motioning for the others to follow him.
"Come. Come and we will talk of things to come."
As they followed the dwarf, they came upon a single tree in the middle of a strange rock garden. The tree trunk was thin, no wider than across the palm of the average hand. Despite it's slender build, it supported many branches that towered above the group. The brilliant blue leaves were shaped nearly like the shafts of an arrow and gave off a sweet, fragrant scent. Tiny, silver flowers dotted the tree. As they neared it, Thain reached up with his power and plucked a single, white berry from the top of the tree and floated it down until it rested in the palm of his hand.
"Ah, so one is finally ready," the Guardian said. The Dei-sho stared in awe at the tree.
"An Amara tree…" Lo-Pei breathed. Kando stared at it too before adding softly in his low voice.
"I didn't know that there were any left." The three Dei-sho looked at the Guardian of Gaea with new eyes.
"Where did you get an Amara tree Master Thain?" Risha asked.
"It was here when I became Guardian, this tree is over seven thousand years old." The ancient dwarf smiled up at the surprised Dei-sho, the skin around his eyes crinkling in amusement. He turned to the confused gathering.
"An Amara tree," he began, "Is a magical tree. Its leaves contain healing properties, and its bark, if used with the proper incantations, can bring the dead back to life. However, this is not all that it is capable of. The berries of the Amara tree can bring forth all latent talents or energies that lie within a being. It can bring forth untapped potential."
The others stared in awe at the tree. This is even greater than the Senzu beans, Piccolo thought. He didn't know if the leaves healed like the beans on Earth, but Korin's magical beans couldn't bring the dead to life or awaken sleeping powers.
"What do you intend to do with that berry, Master Thain?" Piccolo asked in curiosity.
"Do you intend to use it Namek?" Vegeta asked with a smirk. The Namek growled in reply. The dwarf only shook his head at both of them.
"This berry is already meant for someone, but not yet. In time, it will be used," the dwarf said, refusing to say more on the matter. He began walking again, so that everyone was forced to follow. They came upon a small clearing with a semi circle of elegantly carved stone seating. Thain himself sat on a single, throne-like stone chair in front of the semicircle. Everyone looked at each other before taking their seats, except for the Dei-sho, whom chose to stand.
The dwarf gave a great sigh as he settled his ancient body into the even older chair. Tienshinhan couldn't help but wonder as to how old this man actually was. He watched as the Guardian closed his eyes for a long moment before opening them.
"I see a shadow in my mind," he rumbled. "Some unseen force of malevolent intent lies within this universe, but who or what it is, is beyond even my sight."
"Do you know where it is Master Thain?" Lo-Pei asked. The dwarf sighed again, before mumbling to himself in a strange language.
"What's he saying?" Kururin whispered to Megumi, who was seated next to him. Her elven ears easily picked up the dwarf's voice, but not the meaning of the language.
"I don't know. He's speaking in some form of Dwarvish," she whispered back. Kando gave the two of them a warning glare and they shut up. Finally, Thain opened his brown eyes.
"I do not know, except that they are near. However, near can be a relative term."
Lo-Pei stood up and addressed the others. "The breach here is becoming larger and less stable, as are the others. There is another one forming directly on this Earth, in the northern most point of the planet. We must access these holes before anything else is done."
"Agreed," Risha said. "We should split up. Kando and I can take some of them to Earth."
"If it's all right," Megumi said, "I'll stay here with Master Thain. I'm a doctor, not a fighter."
"Very well," the Dei-sho said. Kenshin turned to Kaoru.
"Miss Kaoru, if it isn't against your wishes, I would like ye to stay here with Miss Megumi, that I would. If all we are going to do is access the breach, then not all of us need to go." Kaoru stared up at him, wanting desperately to go with him. But he was right.
"Kenshin…all right, I'll stay here for now. But you better come back," she warned. The Saiyan smiled at her.
"Don't worry, Miss Kaoru, this one will be fine. Yahiko," he turned to the boy. "I'd like you to stay as well."
"KENSHIN!!!" Kenshin gulped and threw up his hands in defense.
"Look, Yahiko, I need ye to stay here with your master. Just, ah…just in case something happens, we might need reinforcements…or something…"
"I understand Kenshin. You're saying that you want me to protect Kaoru, right?" Kaoru growled at him.
"Protect me?! I'm you're Master, squirt!"
"Don't call me squirt, you ugly woman!" Kenshin sighed as they began to argue again. At least both of them were staying behind. He saw Goku smiling to himself as he watched the exchange.
"What?" he asked him.
"They never stop, do they?" Goku asked. His brother smiled at that.
"No, but I would be worried if they did, that I would." Kenshin answered. Goku opened his mouth, wondering if he dared to ask the next question. He decided to take a chance.
"You love her, don't you?" The younger Saiyan watched as his brother gave an intake of breath and hoped that he hadn't been too bold.
"Yes," Kenshin answered softly before looking at his brother again. "Yes I do." Goku was about to speak again when Risha interrupted them.
"Are we ready yet?" The impatient Dei-sho asked. She received several nods. "Who is going with us?" she asked. The others shrugged before Tien finally walked over to her. He was followed by Trunks and Gohan. Vegeta looked at Goku, who was still standing with his brother. The Saiyan prince turned to join his son.
"Vegeta, why don't you go with us?" Goku asked. Vegeta growled at him. What's wrong with him? Goku thought. He decided to speak to Vegeta telepathically.
"What's wrong Vegeta? You've been acting strange since we met Radditz!"
"It's none of your business Kakarott!"
"You've been more aggressive than usual, and you didn't even fight back against Master Hiko. And as for what you called Radditz…"
"Shut up Kakarott! And get out of my head!" Vegeta turned and stalked over to Trunks, leaving a bewildered Goku. The younger Saiyan backed off, but not before he faintly felt a sense of guilt from his friend. Goku stared after him. Why would Vegeta feel guilty? Goku turned to see that Seijuro was now standing with them.
"I'm sorry Master Hiko," Goku tried to explain, "He's usually not this bad. I think something's bothering him."
"He will reveal himself in time, that he will," Seijuro said.
"Is this everyone that is going with us?" Kando asked. Kururin lookedover at Goku.
"I'm going with you Goku," he said. Piccolo walked over to join the Saiyan as well. Risha looked over at Sanosuke in question and the half-elf answered her.
"I'm sticking with Kenshin."
"Very well then, we are going to Earth now." With a flash of light, she, Kando, and the others were gone. Lo-Pei turned to the remaining fighters.
"I suppose it's safe to assume that you are going as well, Master Hiko," she said to Seijuro. The swordsmaster nodded his head in reply.
"Let's be going then," the Dei-sho said. She raised her arms and enclosed her group in a circle of light, and they too vanished. Kaoru looked at the spot that they had been standing.
"Please be careful Kenshin and Sanosuke."