In Search of Amity

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Period 3

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Fiddling with the pouch string was like watching wall paper dry, not permitted to leave the compound until Trunks gave the OK on his health.

Therefore, Dende sat on the cold floor with his back against the wall; Bulma had come in a little while ago to reconfigure the ultra violet lamp so that it filled every comer of the room.

Dende was grateful for seeing her again; besides a shorted haircut, she was still the strong independent woman he met on namek all those years ago.

Namek, the word itself almost seemed like it were a fantasy from a children's book.

"Knock knock, are we late for visiting hours?" a voice called from the other side of the door, a voice Dende jumped to his feet for when it reached his ears.

Jogging to the door, he grasped a hold of the handle turning it, pulling the door open slightly he then backed away. Inside stepped two dark haired men of identical height and equally identical innocent grins on their faces.

"You have grown, wow. I didn't expect for you to be almost my height Dende, did they feed you something different over there?" Goku commented, looking over the young namekian with his hands on his hips

Dende's mouth hung open slightly as he stared in awe at the man, the Saiyan that had saved him to many occasions to count; he was standing there feet from him like a vision from a dream.

"Goku."Dende uttered in a shaky emotionally voice, with his bottom jaw quivering oddly he leaped forward seizing the saiyin in a tight embrace, his cheek pressed tightly to Goku's gi endowed chest.

"Whoa, hey its alright calm down, what brought this on buddy?" Goku asked gently, he could feel Dende breath becoming deep and far apart and knew he close to tears, he was shocked to say the least but didn't hesitate to gently pat the namek on his upper back.

"Im sorry, I just missed seeing you so much. Goku" Dende said with a controlled voice, pulling away he looked over to Gohan who stood beside them, Dende turned his body to face the man who besides Piccolo was his only true friend.

"If only you could have been young when I left Gohan, we would have gone to Namek together" Dende said, his face morphing into a deep emotional smile.

Gohan returned the same smile; they both leaned forward into a strong manly embrace, slapping each other's backs affectionately.

"Gees Dende. I was afraid I wouldn't ever see you again after that day, and believe me when I tell you I would have come with you, even if I had to be wished there by Shenlong" Gohan said as he pulled away, the three were then in a pause looking at one another speechless.

Goku grasped both of them around the back of their necks with his arms, pulling them toward his chest until all three of their heads were beside one another, all three broke into fits of laughter as they basked in the joy of being in one another's company.

***

Savarna's sat in the grass on the far side of the Son house, she had awoken to Piccolo shaking her forearm, he told her she was coming to the lookout with him and to be ready in an hour.

Something she did not want to face ever again, she hated herself for thinking it. It had been her home since as far back, she could remember, but now it was a place she associated with fear.

Her eyes were glued to several house sparrows as they leaped onto the fingertips of her cupped hands, pecking at the small wheat seeds that she held, it was one of her only comforts were these little activates and interactions, she owed most of it to Uub.

He had taught her during his stay at the Sons house, taught her to attract birds to you, find and mix paint from the forest to paint her face with and how to find food and water if she were ever lost, he had brought many wholesome wonders to her life.

"Savarna, its time to go" Piccolo reminded wit a deep tone, standing a few feet away watching her without her knowledge.

Savarna nodded solemnly, parting her hands she watched the seeds run down the gap like sand in an hour glass, once empty she stood up brushing her knees off.

Grasping her backpack and swinging it onto her back and went to stand beside Piccolo she allowed him to pick her up in his arms to take them to the lookout, she was in no condition to fly her copter there or back.

Slowly he ascended into the air, his cape floating on the air behind him he flew gently toward d the lookout.

"Dad?" Savarna whispered, her fingers coiled around a section of Piccolo collar.

"Mmm?" Piccolo murmured.

"Why did he do it, why did he act like that, I still cant work out why" she said stressfully, shaking her head to herself, she wanted to fall into a heap of tension tears but held her composure.

"Its pointless to waist your mind trying to work it out, you know he wasn't himself when he arrived, he has regained himself now. That's all you need to worry about" he told her, his eye focussed upon sky ahead and his mind on journey.

"Why do I have to go to the lookout, can't I just stay here until." she started to whine but stopped herself before she went to far.

"Until he leaves?.. No, you cannot hide when there is nothing to fear, he had and does not intend to harm you. And he's not leaving" He stated firmly to her.

Dende would be at the lookout with the others awaiting them, the young guardian informed Goku to gather the fighters together there because he had gifts to give out.

Savarna didn't utter another word, she didn't want to but she would except that Dende would be reclaiming his place as the guardian soon, she knew Piccolo was both relieved and saddened.

His long-term intention was always to return to the rainforest where he had made his home, Things changed along the way, he became comfortable with his current the situation.

Moreover, that part of the forest was gone, taken by farms and corporate buildings now anyway, he had nowhere else that he could go.

***

Dende's hand smoothed across the uneven thick column on the lookout, if there was no one around he would have kissed and hugged it too, he couldn't believe he had come back. He had made it through; his only regret was that the others were not here to share his joy.

"We are all set Dende, Piccolo will be here with Savarna in a few" Goten said, pocking his head around the corner of the wall.

"Thanks Goten, ill be there is a little while" he responded, his eyes still examining the grainy surface of the column.

Once Goten had gone Dende walked down several steps that landed him upon the lookouts main courtyard, large and pallid white tiles like the ones in the hyperbolic time chamber stretched across the entire platform.

Only the closest of his companion were here at his request, Goku, Gohan, Goten, Krillin, Vegeta, Bulma, Trunks, and Bra. Though he had gifts for everyone else, he preferred to give only immediate friends theirs in person.

Meanwhile between the group, Piccolo and Savarna had arrived and made comfortable, Piccolo opted for the floor while Savarna sat on one of the chairs beside Bra.

Savarna face was plastered into a frown, she had no intensions of being happy to meet Dende again, she had no reason to look forward to his gift as a result, her tactful reasons for hating being there were interrupted when several stood to greet Dende's appearance.

There he was, very different but very much the same as the day he had left, his face had matured and lost allot of its puppy fat, his clothes were different too. He no longer wore a gi top but only two sashes that hung over his shoulders and went down to his knees, he was dressed like a namek warrior, not a heeler.

Dende looked over everyone once they had seated themselves down, on the floor beside him sat a large sack filled with the gifts he intended to give.

"Christmas has come early this year, don't tell me I have to sit on your lap to get mine Dende" Goku joked, making everyone laugh at the irony of the situation.

"Very funny, I guess there really isn't much for me to say, I know you are all being patient so ill just get on with it" Dende informed, leaning over he grasped a hold on the sack, dragging it along the floor to each group member in their seats to give them their gift.

Because they were all seated in half circle it made it easier.

Bulma was the first to receive her gift; Dende reached into the large sac pulling out a smaller sack and handed it to her.

Bulma smiled brightly, untying the leather string, she snaked her hand inside, slowly pulling out her gift and held it up in front of her face.

"Oh my Dende! Its gorgeous!" Bulma exclaimed, pulling out of the sack a necklace with matching earrings, bracelets and ring, made with polished beads of many natural namek colours like blue, green, orange and red, some of the beads had quarts like section with in them that sparkled like clear water.

"Why cant you ever get me such beautiful things Vegeta" Bulma said to him as he sat observantly beside her, watching as she clipped the necklace on.

"Don't even think about it woman, I don't have time to go out and splurge for your jewellery craze" Vegeta snapped, folding his arms against his chest he leaned back further into his chair. Dende placed Vegeta's gift pouch down in front of the Saiyan and moved on to next person.

"Hey, I get the big gift!" Trunks exclaimed, taking form Dende a long shaped object folded inside a brown cloth.

Trunks eyes lit up when he unwrapped a magnificently silver sword, its blade tip with curved slightly with an orange jewel encrusted near the base, the jewel was clear so you could see through it, it came with its own case so it could be carried on ones back.

"Its made from namekian alloy, its essence is only found near the earths core" Dende explained to the swords new owner.

Moving on.

Bras gift, a ceramic like grinding bowel, Dende explained that on namek they used to ground the hardest of stones, Bra was amazed at its durability. Even if dropped it would not even chip, and along side it Dende gave her a small yellow crystal sculpture of a namekian creature which looked much like a cat.

As he dragged the sack to the next person, he took a moment to search tough the sack for the pouch to give.

Savarna was avoiding Dende's eyes as he was avoiding hers, she could not help but turn to peek at why he was taking so long to find whatever it was he was looking for.

As she did he looked straight up at her surprising her, slowly he pulled a very small pouch from inside the sack, and held it out to her.

Savarna frowned, looking from his stern coal eyes to the pouch dangling in his hand, she reached out taking it quickly from him, keeping her feet and legs close.

Dende didn't bother to say anything to her and moved on to Goten who was next, in the background everyone was talking about how wonderful the gifts were to each other, Trunks stood up giving his sword a few swings to test it out.

Looking down at the pouch in left palm she sighed.

*What more do I have to loose* she thought, gentle with her right thumb and forefinger she untied the gold coloured leather, opening it she reached in grasping a hold of a cold object, instantly she knew it was some kind of necklace of jewellery 'typical' she thought to herself.

She almost ate her words when she lifted it out into the light, indeed it was a bracelet, but a most incredibly eye catching one that seemed to defy the laws of gravity, hanging from a stone wrist band were three small blue/green spheres, they looked heavy but were as light as a feather.

She picket her jaw up from the ground and looked over to Dende, he was talking to Goku about something and had his back to her, as she watched him she caught him turning to take a quick glance toward her, he looked away smooth and elegantly, not forgetting to add a snort of disinterest her way.

Savarnas frown deepened, she waste going to let her fears of what had happened overtake her, quickly she slipped the feather weight bracelet onto her right wrist.

*You treat me like that, it your decision, I am just going to take advantage of what you give out* she snapped, her words full of malice, crossing her arms beneath her breasts she leaned back in her chair, hoping this day would be over soon.

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Thank you for reading.