Chapter Thirty Seven- Ill Fortunes
Gohan climbed over the green hill to the top with Trunks jogging at his side. They both looked down to see what resembled a market place below.
"That's the bazaar." Trunks explained intelligently, "It's open twice every week. Every Wednesday and Sunday."
"What do they sell there?" Gohan questioned watching the people scurrying about from each of the colorful stands.
"I'm not so sure. Strange things." Trunks sighed as he rested his arms behind his head, "Alien things from all sorts of planets. Dad said he was going to check the bazaar for some old Sayian items."
"Sounds appealing." Gohan smirked.
"If you like tedious stuff like bazaars."
Gohan gazed over at the young boy as Trunks' cerulean eyes watched the crowds idly. He seemed a lot less anxious now that they were on the move. But his restlessness was starting to brew inside his juvenile soul again from all the time waiting for Gohan to recover from his injuries. A sinister idea formed in Gohan's mind as he crept up behind the boy, "Have you ever rolled down a hill before, Trunks?"
"No." Trunks snapped, rolling his eyes, "It's a waste of time. I can walk down it much faster."
"Oh, but it's so much fun." Gohan grinned devilishly, "Let me show you…"
"Go ahead. But I can't make any promises about joining you." Trunks said dully.
Gohan thrust his palms outward pushing Trunks in a great lurch forward. Trunks didn't even have time to catching himself before his world began spinning controllably around him. Catching occasional glimpses of the sky and grass, Trunks found himself growing very dizzy,
"GOHAN! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Trunks screamed through painful rolls.
"LOOK OUT BELOW!" Gohan laughed diving into a forward flip and tumbling down the steep hill behind the lavender haired boy.
Trunks was finally able to catch his hands on the ground but the world still spun about him as he sat still. The was a small thump as Gohan landed next to him with a grin on his face. Bits of grass stuck in his hair and his face was smudged with just a bit of dirt. Trunks imagined he looked about the same way.
"Fun, huh?"
Trunks could barely see straight but he still managed to mutter.
"Start running, Gohan…"
He fell backward onto the grass trying to regain his breath. Gohan plopped down beside him and laughed, "Don't tell you didn't find that even the bit amusing?"
A small smile slipped onto Trunks' young face as he whispered, "Well, maybe just a little…"
"See! I told you!" Gohan beamed.
Videl raced through the crowd wrapping her arms about the dirty boys once they approached. Her basket of all sorts of items tumbled to the ground as she pounced them. Trunks ducked the hug but Gohan was too surprised and embarrassed to pull away.
"I was worried you would never get out of bed." Videl smiled brightly, "I was hoping I didn't kick your butt too hard."
"A human girl could never whoop a sayian." Trunks sneered as if the very idea was inhuman.
Videl glared at the lilac topped by with a sense of spite but it was quickly drained from her face when she spotted something in the stands. She pushed past Trunks roughly and walked up to the sign.
"Fortune telling." She smirked clasping her hands together, "Oh boy!"
"What a load of boloney." Trunks spat, "Everyone knows they are just a bunch of fakes. Besides, the future isn't already laid out in a book. Mirai Trunks proved that, didn't he, Gohan?"
Gohan rubbed the back of his neck as a sweat drop formed behind his head, "Yeah… right."
"Well, it's starts in a few minutes." Videl exclaimed, "And these are aliens that are performing the art. Not humans. I bet they could do it much better."
"Doubt it." Trunks snapped.
"Can we go, Gohan?" Videl said sweetly, "I really want to see our fortunes!"
"Our fortunes?" Trunks sneered, "How corny. She just wants to see if she'll marry G- Owie!"
Trunks yelped as Videl dug her heel painfully into the center of his foot. Trunks snarled at her as he crossed his arms about his chest in irritation.
"I guess we could go." Gohan smiled.
"Traitor." Trunks hissed under his breath.
Gohan, Trunks, And Videl filed into the small woodland area, shortly after sunset, finding everyone else was there also. They crossed the room to the front row of wooden benches where the rest of the Z gang sat. A roaring fire stood in the middle of the crowd which the benches encircled. It was the last show of the day so only the Z gang sat waiting for the mistress.
"What are you doing here?" Gohan asked curiously as he took a seat by his father.
"Good food." Goku said through a bite of what appeared to be a chicken drum stick, "And Chichi wanted her fortune read."
"What about Vegeta?" Gohan asked inquisitively.
"Oh. He just tagged along." Goku shrugged, "I don't really know. Mirai Trunks wanted his fortune read too for some reason."
"Oh. Just wondering." Gohan smiled leaning back as he stared at the burning flames.
"Gohan?" Goku asked after a moment's silence, "What is a fortune?"
Before Gohan could answer a figure appeared the darkness inching slowly towards them. She stopped in front of the fire letting the light streak her beautiful yet aging face. Her silver hair was tied in a small knob on top of her head and her eyes sparkled gold in the fire's light. Her eyes were worn indicating her blindness. She smiled brightly at the group and whispered,
"My name is Seiko, Mistress of Destiny, whether it be good or bad."
"Give me a break." Chibi Trunks hissed beside Gohan.
Seiko didn't seem to notice the child. She stared at the group blankly with her dark eyes taking in their faces,
"I supposed I should start taking the fortunes of you all? But I must ask you out of respect whether or not you want your dark doors opened. Because just looking at you I sense an despondent future ahead." Her eyes fell upon Gohan as she spoke sending a shiver up his spine.
"Now you made us more interested." Videl smirked, "I want to hear our futures!"
"Very well." Seiko smiled weakly, "But I can't say I didn't warn you. I am not expecting you to believe anything I tell you here. I am just here as a guide. Whether you take the advice I give or not is not my concern."
Seiko stared at the front of the row with Vegeta. Her blank eyes could not focus in on him but her haunting eyes still remained piercing in on Vegeta's face.
"The sayian prince, Vegeta." Seiko smiled awkwardly, "Your past is dark from what I can see. Full of blood and torment but not all of it directed to others."
Gohan caught Vegeta's eyes twitching at the words that slipped out of the wearily woman's mouth. Gohan had no idea that Vegeta had been tortured when he was a child. It would explain why he was so ruthless though.
"What is my future, weathering Onna?" Vegeta hissed, "I did not come to hear sympathy from my past."
"Of course." Seiko nodded, "Let me see."
She was silent for a long time her forehead glistening with beads of sweat. Finally she let out a deep sigh,
"I am afraid you future will be receiving the same amount of sympathy as your past." Seiko whispered, "On a journey for one you care, you lose your life. You will be left to die in a deep puddle of your own blood in complete obscurity. No one else knows of your fate."
Vegeta's face formed into a great big grin as he burst out in haunting laughter,
"What rubbish? How could I die alone when I have Kakarot bouncing around be all the time?"
"Ah, Goku and Chichi." Seiko smiled moving onward, "A loving couple I see."
"Thank you." Chichi blushed wrapping her arm about Goku sweetly.
Goku blinked confusingly still trying to get over the prediction of Vegeta's harsh death.
Seiko scratched her forehead slightly as if trying to think properly. After a couple of minutes of Vegeta still muttering how useless this was, Seiko spoke, "You have lost a child that was deeply close to your hearts. But your love for each other is strong to the end, I'm afraid." Seiko said grimly, "To the bitter end."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Chichi snapped.
"I am afraid telling you, might upset you further." Seiko hissed darkly.
"I can take it." Chichi roared as Goku forced her back.
Seiko ignored the raging woman and moved on to the two Trunks. Her voice was weak as she concentrated on their futures as well.
"Ah. Future and Present, I see. One of you is from a different world. Impressive that you are able to harness such technologies. Your mother is very wise." Seiko remarked leaving Chibi Trunks confused.
"The child's life will be cut short, I say with much regret." Seiko continued, "Due to his brutal heritage as well. The dark moon does not shine happily upon thee.
"As for the elder," Seiko smiled, "His work is far from done. He will suffer much pain but the mark of death does not singe his body from luck of his friends. Haji has not chosen you, boy. Luck is very much with you."
"So he gets to live?" Chibi Trunks snapped, as if it were a contest, "No fair."
"Ah," Seiko remarked coming upon Videl, "Videl Satan. I sense a lonely past in you. But it clears up once the games were finished, didn't it?"
"Why yes." Videl said fascinated by the woman's accuracy.
"Ah. The death mark is upon your wrist as well, my dear. But darkness' plan with you is to cause much harm. Your death will play a major part on your loved one's heart. You are very brave, Videl. Your debt is much more then paid when you're through."
Chibi Trunks stuck out his tongue at the shocked Videl as he laughed, "Ha! Ha! You died too!"
Gohan's heart beat faster as Seiko turned to him. Their eyes met the tension was broken when she smiled.
"That will be 2 zenny for your time." Seiko smirked holding out her collecting tin.
The group dug irritably into their pockets and dug out loose change. The metal clanged against her container causing the woman much joy. The Z team started to leave when Gohan turned to Videl, "But she didn't take my fortune. And I still had to pay!"
"Well, maybe she couldn't see you." Videl suggested, "She was blind, you know."
"But she saw all of you!"
"Then go back and ask her for your fortune if you are all jumpy about it, Gohan." Videl snapped, "It's just a waste a time any how."
Gohan walked back up the fire and sat down on the wooden bench next to the old lady as she counted her zenny. Gohan was beginning to wonder if he should tell her that he was here. But he didn't wish to scare her…
"Back so soon, Gohan?" Seiko said softly.
"So you didn't forget me?" Gohan said in shock.
"Of course not," Seiko chuckled darkly, "How could one forget a soul as pure as yours?"
"Huh?" Gohan gulped, "What are you talking about?"
"Have you ever wondered how fortune tellers can see your future?"
"I guess, yeah." Gohan said softly.
Seiko placed the collection tin on the soft ground and stared into the dark flames of the fire,
"We can see lights inside a person. Bright lights depending on how pure the soul is. Children's souls tend to be much brighter then that of an adult but little Trunks was an exception due his father.
"Considering a tree, the rings of the tree tell the tree's life. But as for a soul, the images that transpire there give to whole line in gruesome detail." Seiko paused as she thumbed her woven shawl lazily, "Staring at you was enough to blind a person again. You light up brighter than a Christmas tree, much like your father, and your brother can't be too far off."
"Why didn't you give me a fortune as well?" Gohan asked curiously.
"I thought it might have been easier on you if I told you alone." Seiko smiled darkly, "Do you still want what you paid for?"
"Yes." Gohan hissed.
"Good." Seiko smirked, "You truly deserve your soul, Gohan."
Gohan waited as Seiko's gaze bore into his own eyes. He remained unblinking as if it might ruin Seiko's meditation.
"You hold many lives in you hands and are having to remain alone when they slip between your fingers. Shadows follow to haunt you as you make your way to doom. I see hope by your side as you clasp hands with your brother finally. But all is in vain…You will not succeed in destroying your enemy. For your intentions were pure… your life will be swept away. And darkness will regain control… unless…"
"Unless what?" Gohan asked eagerly.
"Unless you listen to the voices of the dead that scream within you. Trust yourself, and your friends and I promise… I promise you a happy ending, Gohan."
To Be Continued…
Please Read and Review!
That was a dark chapter. Sorry for the shortness. I will try to write more later!
