Three Rivers of Remembrance

Chapter Five

Rhyne listened patiently as her sisters, with a little help from Kami, explained about the Dragonballs.

"I can't believe you'd do this!" Rhyne said. "And I can't believe father didn't kill you for it!"

"I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop." Rideria said dryly. "He's up to something. I just haven't' figured it out yet."

"As long as I get to stay here on Earth with you, I don't care." Gowan said to Rikola. "I've missed you so much!"

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. "I've missed you."

"Gross." Rideria sneered. "Get a room!"

They all laughed about the remark, but Kami was very angered. "Am I to assume that none of you are virgins? Have you so little respect for yourselves? For the ways of our Namekian culture?"

Rideria and the others looked around horrified that the Guardian of Earth would ask them such a personal question.

"I am." Rhyne said honestly. "I've kissed…some…but nothing more." She didn't mean Tekoa when she spoke, but she had kissed him several times in the past, so he assumed she was referring to him. He came up to her, putting his arm around her shoulder.

Kami looked to Rideria, challenging her to confess her infidelities. It was as if he was looking into her very soul, and the girl was extremely nervous.

"Well…" Rideria stuttered. "I love Kaizer….and we've messed around some I guess you could say. But, as for the actual….well, you know….we haven't."

Kami glared at Kaizer.

"I would never take such an important thing from Rideria, not unless she was my wife and gave it to me willingly." Kaizer said. "I was taught to respect a woman. However, I am a man, therefore I do have….needs. But, I have always tried to honor her."

"And you?" Kami asked Rikola.

She lowered her head. "I'm sorry." She cried and ran from the platform and flew off the edge.

Gowan stood there, full of shame as well, but did not say anything at first.

"I take it that you have taken what was not yours to receive?" Kami stomped his staff against the floor.

Gowan nodded.

"At least have the decency to speak verbally to me!" Kami shouted.

"Yes, sir." Gowan said.

"Yes, sir what?" Kami persisted.

"Yes, sir, I….I mean Rikola and I have…..well, we've…." He stuttered until Kami could take it no more.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted, causing the whole Lookout to shake. Mr. Popo had long since left on his magic carpet, fearing what the Guardian might do if his temper flared.

Kami walked up to Gowan and slapped him across the face, as hard as he could. The young man flew backwards and landed in between two pillars. "I could kill you." Kami said. "But, because Rikola seems to love you, I will spare your life. I just hope her father has the same discipline as I….But don't count on it."

"As for the rest of you, I will make arrangements to have rooms prepared as soon as Mr. Popo returns. For now, if I even see you make googoo eyes at one another, I'll be the one you'd better watch out for! Understand!" They had never seen Kami act in such a manner. But, he felt, in part, as if the girls were his own, therefore he was disappointed in the irrational behavior.

When he was gone, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. However, Kaizer was very angry. "You told me you would never touch her." He said heatedly to Gowan. "I trusted you!"

"I'm sorry!" Gowan said, full of remorse. "I didn't mean for it to happen! It just did! I love Rikola and I would marry her no matter what happens. Please, don't hate me, brother!"

"Let him be." Rideria said. "After some of the things we've done, we're in no position to judge."

Kaizer blushed slightly, nodding his head. "You're right." He looked to Gowan. "I didn't mean to be judgmental. We are all prone to our flesh, and I know how hard it is to keep yourself pure. As long as you treat her with respect and love her, you'll have no ill feelings from me."

"Thank you." Gowan said. He had so much respect for the slightly older Kaizer, that he was truly almost a brother to him. He would never want Kaizer to loose faith in him.

"As for you, little brat, looks like you're the only good girl among us!" Rideria flipped Rhyne on the ear. "Either that, or Tekoa has more self control than the normal male!"

Rhyne's face turned three shades of purple. "Stop it." She said softly.

"You said you wanted to talk to me." Tekoa said, his arm still protectively around her shoulder.

"Yes." She replied. She led the way a few feet away, hoping Rideria and the others wouldn't hear. "It's about…us." She said. "I had no idea they were going to wish you here, or….well, I just don't think it was a good idea."

He felt his stomach muscles tighten. "It's because of that other boy, isn't it? Is he the same Gohan that I've heard you talk about so much? Your best friend?"

Rhyne nodded. "Only…..now…he's more…." She didn't know how to explain it to Tekoa.

"Don't turn me away, Rhyne." Tekoa pleaded. "At least give me a chance. I know it's been months since we've seen each other, and I know in the past, well, I haven't always been respectful of you like Kami said. But, I promise, I've changed."

"How?" Rhyne asked. "The last time I saw you, we argued because you wanted more than I wanted to give. Yet, you stood back there, all tall and proud, as if you'd been the one to keep me pure! If you had your way, I would be anything but!"

"And I was wrong." He admitted. "I love you, Rhyne. More than anything else in this world. And together, we can have a wonderful life! A Namekian life! With Gohan, what would you have? He's what…a Saiyan? You'd be mating outside of your own race! How disgusting is that? I doubt your father would approve of such a thing!"

"Don't act like you know my father." Rhyne pointed out angrily. "Because you don't. You beg me for another chance, and then insult me in the same sentence? My father did not raise a fool! If you truly love me, then you had better start proving it! Otherwise, my mind is made up and you're not the one I choose!"

"But, you will at least give me a chance? You do care for me, I know you do." He begged.

Rhyne thought about it for a moment, and yes, somewhere in the back of her mind, she cared for Tekoa. He had been her first real love, first kiss. But, there was a darkness inside him that Gohan did not have. Perhaps he was more like her father than she cared to admit. "Alright. I'll give you a chance. But, understand, I will not abandon Gohan. I will still see him, as much as I want, until I have made a decision. Father gave us all one month."

"Thank you." He said and hugged her tightly. "I'll prove my love and devotion to you, Rhyne. I promise."

Rikola couldn't seem to stop the floodgates that had opened. She was so very angry. At herself and even at Gowan. Now, she was so ashamed.

"Must be pretty bad." Piccolo said. He had felt her ki, sensing an emotional instability.

Rikola turned away from her father. "Please….go away."

"No." He said. "Whatever has happened in the last hour, tell me. Did that boy do something?"

She shook her head, sniffling. "No, father. It wasn't him. It was me."

Piccolo sat down beside his daughter, knowing something heavy was weighing down her heart. "You can tell me."

Rikola knew that if she didn't, Kami would. And it not only terrified her, but it broke her heart. She knew her father would never love her again.

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