Wow, I had a wonderful people report back to my lamentation last chapter. Thank you all, it warmed my heart to see such caring humans respond to my sadness. I smiled the whole time whilst reading. Thank you all, and God bless. I don't own Dbz.
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Ever since last session, I had Poppy on my mind. Strange how I had forgotten what a large role he played in my growth. I remember when I was in Kindergarten, Nail and I would go to his house after school until my father picked us up after work. Sometimes it was too late at night, however, and we just ended up sleeping there. We had our own bedrooms there, since that was pretty much our second home. Poppy started a lot of my interests by simply talking about his childhood. He was the one who introduced me to baseball, as a matter of fact. He himself was a retired Cardinal's manager, and taught me everything he knew. He never got bored with dealing with a couple of kids. He didn't spoil us or anything, because he had said the last thing he wanted was a couple of pansies for grandsons… But he cared for us in his own special way. Sometimes we drove out on Saturdays to the lake. We would fish and swim the whole day, then go to the movies afterwards. My father only managed to make it there about twice. He was always so tired, though, that Poppy said it was just as well that he didn't come so often.
When I was about six, I asked Poppy why my father worked so much. I simply didn't understand what he did that consumed so much time. Poppy explained to me in a way I could understand. He said that my father was a heroic man, and instead of doing things that he wanted ('like spending time with you boys,' he would always add), he helped other people to get well. Of course that helped a little. I had looked at my father a little different from then on, seeing him as a type of saviour instead of workaholic.
"What about your brother, Nail. How has he been doing?" Ah, Briefs. I had forgotten he was there as I took a stroll down memory lane. I really didn't see where the question was headed, but…he has his times where he can ask something that isn't offensive, so I thought I'd oblige him.
"He's been doing well for himself. He hasn't had any problem with the law, he's got a steady girlfriend, and his job suits him." Anytime when someone gets paid for doing shit, that person better be happy. "He hasn't really grown up very much, but I think that perhaps having someone else to care about might change that." True enough. I mean, what woman would tolerate Nail's crap for long? Women don't chuck out a guy until they have tried to form him into the specimen they think he should be. And when that fails, they usually kill him… Or so I've heard.
"You've commented on his lack of maturity before. Do you see yourself as…Well, as the role model for him, growing up?"
Hell no.
"Well, not really. We each had our own agendas, and I didn't really try to force him either way. I had my own things to sort out without worrying about raising my twin brother."
Ah Nail. Nail Nail Nail. Enter one of the biggest annoyances in my life. I haven't actually seen the man for a while. I kind of lied when I said he was doing well. He could be starving in some prison in Guatemala, and I wouldn't know. We had a bit of a falling out last time we spoke… It was about Lila, ironically. After I had confided in Nail about Lila's strange behaviour lately (slight temper increase, sarcastic replies to everything, and ice cold in bed), Nail stated out flatly that she was cheating. I hadn't allowed my self to linger over the possibility, and the fact that Nail just bluntly said it made me furious. I had told him that he had no idea what he was talking about, and wouldn't know a loving relationship if it bit his ass. Nail just gave me this look… I'll never forget it. He seemed almost hurt by my words. He told me, quietly, that he obviously was out of line. He left without another word, and we haven't spoken since. Before, he would always drop in and out whenever he was in the area. However, months have gone by and no sign of him has been made known to me.
As kids, we had always grated on each other's nerves. Well, Nail annoyed me with his lack of caring towards anything important to me, and I… Well, I think I was more a source of entertainment than anything. When we had a row, Nail never got mad. He just grinned and let me have the last word. Later something unfortunate would happen to one of my possessions, and I knew that Nail had really had the last say in the argument. For example, I might have been ready to turn in my research paper that had taken me hours to type. With one 'accidental' knock of his present drinking glass, Nail would ruin my labours and merely mutter a 'sorry.' I remember one time I just snapped, and punched him as hard as I could in the face. We were seventeen, and I had to drive to the hospital to get his nose fixed, seeing as I had broken it. Nail's smug look was wiped off his face for quite some time.
"Is that to say you and your brother didn't interact much as children?"
I shifted to a more comfortable position on the couch and looked at Briefs. He had reclined his chair slightly, so that he looked down his rather pointed nose at me, smiling as he did so. He tie was loosened and his glasses sat perched just above his hairline, making me believe that there was no writing at all on his so-called 'notes'.
I smirked and shook my head, looking forward again. "Not at all. We interacted quite a bit as children." I remember one day after baseball on our way home, I was feeling particularly shitty. The coach had gotten pissed off at a certain individual (Nail) and made all of us run sprints until we threw up or died… Whichever came first. So here I am, driving with the taste of vomit in my throat…Still sweaty and thirsty, with sore leg muscles…When Nail has the gall to tell me to quit acting like a pussy and drive. I was pretty pissed to begin with, but that was the straw that broke the camel's back. I remember turning into a parking lot and slamming on the brakes, shoving Nail out of the passenger's door a moment later. I got out as well, and walked over to my twin. I asked him calmly what he just said. When he grinned and got in my face, calling me a pussy once more, I snapped. I let out my frustration of the day in Nail's face, catching him square in the eye. I remember him falling to the ground, cussing his head off. He didn't think I would do it. It was like a game for him; he saw how far he could push until I (usually) left the room or drove away. This time, though, I had had enough. He got up still smiling, that son of a bitch. He waited about a moment before he gave my chin a strong uppercut, sending me sprawling against the hood of the car. We exchanged a few more blows before someone happened by and separated us. By the time we got home, we had reached a kind of truce. Nail agreed not to be such a pain in the ass, if I would lighten up a little. When my father came home, he took one look at us with our beaten faces and torn clothes before going to bed. He said we would talk about it in the morning.
"And now? What would you say your relationship is now?"
None of your damn business, for one thing.
"Distant, but pleasant enough." Things were pretty good between Nail and I when I was married to Lila. He stopped bugging me about women, and seemed happy for me. Of course towards the end of the marriage, he and Lila simply grated on each other's nerves. At the time I thought it was completely Nail's fault, but now that I look back… I wonder how much of it accounted for Lila's new demeanour.
Briefs was scribbling something down of his notepad. That might have looked convincing, except his glasses remained perched on his head. "Uh huh… Well, Piccolo, I can safely say that today was pretty successful. I've made some notes, and I think I have a good idea of where we're headed. I can only see positive things ahead." Sure thing, asshole.
I took this as my leave and sat up completely. "Right, see you next week."
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Another chapter down… Thanks for the wonderful reviews again, guys. You all seriously rock my face off. Remember to check my forums, if you like this and The Dentist, and want to discuss any of it.
-Ace
