Kaede stood beneath a tree at the meeting spot, staring up at the gathering storm clouds. Kouta's voice echoed in her memory: "Same time tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you right here."
She scanned the empty park and only heard a squirrel scampering away. "You promised you'd be here for me, but you're not," she said quietly, betrayal in her tone.
Just then she heard noises approaching as two police officers came into view, speaking urgently.
Seeing two officers approaching, Kaede hid behind the tree, gesturing for her puppy to stay quiet.
"So this time a whole family was murdered?" one officer asked his partner grimly.
"Yeah, same MO as the children's center," the other replied. "This guy's bloodthirsty. Got the whole department in a panic."
Kaede listened silently to their conversation, body tensed and ready to attack them with her vectors if needed.
"Doesn't leave much time to search for that missing girl and boy," an officer commented as they passed by her hiding spot, focused now on the increasingly heavy rain.
The other officer scoffed. "That boy though, he was something else. Ran off quickly as lighting before we could grab him. Never seen a kid that fast."
Kaede listened intently, her body tense. While she had hoped Kakarot might be alive after the news report, hearing the officer's first-hand account seemed to confirm it. This was no longer just a fragile wish - the missing boy was surely Kakarot!
Kakarot had been right - she couldn't trust anyone. She vowed to herself that she would find him again somehow.
The officers paused their search as the rain began pelting down. "Shall we go back for now?" one suggested. The other agreed and they hurried off without ever noticing Kaede concealed nearby.
"I know there's no way he's coming. But where am I supposed to go?" she said despondently into the rain.
Suddenly, she felt a woolen hat placed gently atop her head. Kaede looked up in surprise to see Kouta standing there, soaked from the rain. "I'll give this to you. If you don't like those horns, all you need to do is hide them," he said kindly.
Kouta and Kaede huddled beneath the shelter of the trees, rain dripping from the leaves and branches above them. Kaede's small puppy shivered in her lap, its fur damp.
"Where'd you find that cute little puppy anyway?" he said as he reached out to pet it.
When Kouta asked about the puppy and reached out to pet it, Kaede tensed up instinctively. She pulled the puppy a little closer to herself, eyeing Kouta's hand warily. The puppy was one of the few things she felt protective over now.
But seeing Kouta's friendly, earnest expression, Kaede reluctantly relaxed her grip on the puppy. "I just found him one day," she murmured in answer to Kouta's question about the puppy.
Kouta's hand gently stroked the puppy's damp fur. Kaede watched him closely, ready to pull the puppy away at any moment. But the puppy seemed soothed by Kouta's gentle pets.
Kaede noticed his scraped knee. "Did you hurt your knee?" she asked.
"Oh, I banged it sneaking out of the house," Kouta explained. "I had to jump from the second floor into a tree. Dad didn't want me to go outside. He said a crazy killer is loose around here."
Kouta glanced at the heavy rainfall. "The rain's really coming down. Hey, what were you doing out here yesterday anyway?"
"Nothing really," Kaede replied evasively.
"What about you?" she countered. "Why did you want to make friends with someone like me?"
"I like drawing," Kouta said. "I came to sketch the mountain landscape. You looked so lonely somehow."
"I don't need your sympathy," Kaede said sharply.
"And there was this - I've always loved that song. I was happy you liked it too. It's cold, isn't it?" Kouta slid closer to Kaede for warmth.
"Yeah..." She tensed slightly but didn't pull away. "Thanks for the hat," she added.
"Do you wanna play again soon?" Kouta asked with a smile.
"Oh yeah," Kaede found herself saying, surprising herself.
Kouta grinned happily. "Well great!"
Just then two policemen approached. "Hey kid, it's too late to be out playing. Don't you know about the curfew?"
Kouta nodded quickly. "I should get home now. Thank you, officers!" He gave Kaede a little wave goodbye before hurrying off home.
As Kaede watched Kouta disappear into the rainy dusk, her expression turned cold and calculating. The brief warmth she had felt in his company faded away, replaced by her relentless instinct for survival. Where should she go next?
Goku wandered cheerfully through the dense forest. The small boy showed no signs of fear or hesitation at being alone in the wilderness. A wide grin was spread across his face as he explored.
Pausing beneath the towering trees, Goku looked thoughtful for a moment as his stomach rumbled loudly. "Hmm, I'm getting pretty hungry," he mused, patting his growling belly. "I should go find some food!"
Completely unfazed by his circumstances, Goku began searching the forest floor for anything edible. He pushed aside bushes and peered into hollow logs with boundless curiosity, as if on a fun nature hike rather than lost and hungry.
Spying a bush with ripe wild berries, Goku's face lit up. "Ooh, these look yummy!" He plopped down crisscross and began devouring handfuls of the juicy berries, staining his fingers red with the juice.
After his berry snack, Goku decided more substantial food was in order. "I should try to catch a fish!" he declared, heading towards the sound of running water.
At the riverbank, Goku rolled up his pants and waded into the cold mountain stream. His tail swayed as he watched for any sign of movement below the water's surface.
Goku stood knee-deep in the flowing stream, focused intently on catching a fish. As he watched the water, he thought back to yesterday.
"Boy, I'm so lucky I got away from those scary people in the blue uniforms! They wanted to grab me but I'm way too fast for them. I hope I don't see those guys again," Goku thought cheerfully.
Then he paused and scratched his head in confusion. He tried to think back to before he first woke up, but everything was a blur.
"What was I doing there anyways?" he wondered aloud. He didn't know what that unfamiliar place was or why he had been there. Touching the injury on his head, Goku tried hard to remember, but no clear memories came to him.
With a dismissive shrug, Goku gave up trying to recall the past. "Oh well, whatever it was doesn't matter now."
Spotting a fat trout, Goku pounced with lightning reflexes. "Gotcha!" he cried out triumphantly, holding the wriggling fish over his head. His laughter echoed between the trees, a sound of pure delight.
Goku emerged from the stream, his pants soaked up to his knees. Next to him on the bank lay ten large fish, their tails still flapping faintly.
"That was awesome!" Goku exclaimed, looking proudly at his big catch. He had discovered a clever new technique - dangling his furry brown tail in the water attracted the curious fish right to him.
"Can't wait to cook these up!" Goku said, mouth watering as he imagined the feast ahead. Suddenly, he heard a rustling noise behind him.
Whipping around, he saw another young boy emerging from the trees, staring at him in surprise. Goku blinked back at the boy, equally confused by his presence.
After a silent moment, the boy spoke up. "Whoa, did you catch all those fish yourself?" he asked, eyeing Goku's large pile of catches.
"Yep, I sure did! The stream's just full of them," Goku replied enthusiastically.
The boy's eyes widened in awe. "Are you a professional fisherman or something? I've never seen so many big fish caught at once!"
Goku shook his head. "Nah, I was just real hungry so I decided to catch some."
"But how'd you manage to get so many?" the boy pressed. "Last time I went fishing, I only caught a single small one."
"Easy, I just used my tail to catch them!" Goku explained casually.
The boy furrowed his brow in confusion. "Your tail?"
Goku grinned and turned around, revealing his furry brown monkey tail swaying behind him.
"Wow!" the boy exclaimed, staring in awe. He had never seen anyone with a tail before.
"That's amazing! So you just dipped your tail in the water and the fish went for it?"
"Yep, it works great!" Goku said proudly.
"Well maybe if I had a tail like yours, I could have better luck catching fish," the boy said jokingly.
Goku looked curious. "Did you have a tail that got cut off?" he asked innocently.
The boy looked puzzled for a moment, then laughed. "What? No, of course not. I never had a tail."
Goku tilted his head to the side. "That's strange, don't all boys have tails when they're born?"
The boy chuckled again, clearly amused by Goku's perplexed expression. "Well, you're the first boy I've seen with a tail."
The boy suddenly slapped his palm to his forehead.
"Oops, I totally forgot to introduce myself!" he exclaimed. Putting his hand out to greet Goku, he says, "I'm Kouta! It's really nice to meet you!"
Goku grabs Kouta's hand before replying cheerfully, "Nice to meet you too Kouta! I'm Goku."
Kouta's eyes lit up. "Goku? That's such a cool name!"
Goku's face split into a proud, toothy smile. "Yeah? Thanks! I like your name too, Kouta. It's fun to say!"
"Well, you seem cool and really fun! Do you wanna be friends?"
Goku looked confused. "Friends?"
"Like someone you like to hang out with and have fun together," Kouta explained.
Goku's face lit up in understanding. "Oh, that sounds great! Yeah, let's be friends!"
Goku turned back and started to gather the pile of freshly caught fish and held them up eagerly. "I'm gonna cook up all these fish now!"
He glanced over at Kouta with a grin. "Hey, since you're here now, wanna stay and eat some fish with me?"
Kouta's eyes lit up for a moment at the prospect of sharing a meal, but then he frowned apologetically. "Oh man, that sounds really good, but actually I was just passing by this stream on my way home."
Goku's face fell in disappointment. "Aww, so you can't stay to eat?"
Kouta shook his head regretfully. "As delicious as that sounds, I better get home soon before it gets dark. There is a curfew now, and I don't want to get in trouble."
Kouta paused as he thought of something. "Hey, I just had an idea! I'm planning to come back here in a few days. I wanted to bring my friend along so she could see this nice stream too."
Goku's eyes lit up. "Really? You're coming back?"
"Yup!" Kouta replied. "If you're around when I visit again, I could introduce you to my friend. You could even catch fish for us."
"That sounds awesome!" Goku said enthusiastically. "I'll totally be here like always!"
Kouta grinned. "Great, it's a plan then! I'll come back in about three days with my friend. Get ready to catch more fish for us!"
"You bet!" Goku cheered.
"See ya, Goku!" Kouta waved and headed off into the woods.
Goku watched his new friend disappear into the trees, excited for their next meeting and the chance to make another new pal. Tail still swaying, he turned back to cook his fish.
Goku began gathering up sticks and branches for a cooking fire. As he snapped dry twigs from the forest floor and stacked them in a pile, a question popped into his head:
"Hmm, how long is three days again?"
Kaede sat alone, absentmindedly trailing her fingers through the dirt. It had been three days since she met that strange boy, Kouta. She wondered if he had forgotten about returning here like he said. Not that she cared either way, Kaede told herself.
She heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Kouta waving as he walked up. "Hey there! Sorry, I'm a little late getting back."
Kaede quickly lifted her head and stood up. "I-I wasn't really waiting or anything," she mumbled, feeling oddly flustered.
"Oh, well I was hoping I'd run into you again before I left town," Kouta explained. "Didn't want to disappear without saying goodbye."
Kaede looked at the ground. "I see..." She wasn't sure why, but hearing he was leaving soon made her chest feel tight.
"Since it's my last day, I thought it'd be fun if we hung out together all day," Kouta suggested with a grin. "Whaddya say?"
Kaede glanced up shyly. "Hang out together?" She had never spent a whole day with a friend before.
"Yeah! There's this awesome zoo I want to show you," Kouta said eagerly. At the mention of a zoo, Kaede's expression soured.
Noticing her reaction, Kouta asked "What's wrong? Haven't you ever been to a zoo before?"
"No," Kaede replied quietly.
"What, really? You're gonna love it though, they have the coolest animals you can't see anywhere else," Kouta gushed enthusiastically. "All the strange and exotic ones are my favorite!"
Unwanted memories of cruel taunts at the orphanage sprang forth in Lucy's mind. Freak. Weirdo. Not human. She scowled, old pain rising up.
"I'm not interested in stupid animals," Kaede said coldly, turning away so Kouta wouldn't see the hurt in her eyes.
Kaede's eyes went wide with wonder as they approached the elephant enclosure. "Wow! What is that thing? He's so big! He's huge!" she exclaimed. Kaede pressed against the railing eagerly as the lumbering elephant swung its massive head towards them.
The puppy seemed excited too as it was barking at the big animals.
"How did you ever get this big?!" Kaede shouted at the elephant as if expecting it to respond. Turning to Kouta she said "It's not like I'm having fun or anything. He just surprised me, that's all." But her delight was obvious.
They moved on to the giraffes, and Kaede craned her neck up in awe. "Whoa, look at that neck! How did you get such a long neck?" The towering giraffe slowly leaned down, causing Kaede to jump back with a grin.
"Hey, I can't believe it. It's amazing. Really amazing!" she said breathlessly, any earlier hesitance about the zoo completely gone.
Kouta smiled at her sincere excitement. "I've never seen someone get so excited over giraffes and elephants before," he chuckled. "Here, my dad gave me extra allowance today, so snacks are on me."
He bought them each an ice cream cone. Kaede licked it tentatively. "Mm, this is good. But it's a little cold," she remarked.
"Of course it's cold, it's made of ice!" Kouta teased.
"Hey, let's walk around and see more animals," Kouta suggested.
Kaede nodded. "Sure!" she replied eagerly.
Kaede and Kouta were finishing up their ice creams when she suddenly asked "So, what time are you leaving tomorrow?"
Kouta licked a drip of ice cream off his hand. "I think we're taking a night train out of here. But before that, I'm going to a festival with my cousin."
"Oh, okay," Kaede said quietly, disappointment in her voice.
Noticing her change in mood, Kouta quickly said "Hey, so where do you wanna check out next? This zoo is so huge, it's hard to narrow it down."
Kaede opened her mouth to respond when a nearby conversation caught her attention.
"Did you hear? There was another one of those gruesome murders," a man said to a woman.
The woman shook her head. "This is the third one now, right? It's getting kind of scary."
"What have the police even been doing? It's a joke," the man scoffed.
Kaede froze, the unfinished ice cream dripping down her hand. A dark thought entered her mind unbidden.
Shoot it. Looks like time to kill again if I want a place to sleep tonight. Kill again?! Did I really just think that? What's wrong with me? Why do I constantly think about killing?
As Kaede struggled to suppress her dark thoughts, a familiar sinister voice seemed to awaken within her mind.
"You enjoy killing people, don't you? Why else do you constantly think about it?"
Kaede shook her head adamantly. 'I don't'
"Don't lie to yourself. If you don't kill them first, the humans will eventually kill you. It's only a matter of time before they turn on you. You've seen it happen before. Or have you already forgotten what they did to Kakarot?"
Kaede clenched her fists, ice cream dripping to the ground. 'No, Kakarot is alive! He has to be! I won't believe he's gone!'
She could almost hear the voice scoffing cruelly. "Still clinging to that delusion? When will you accept that the boy is dead? Those humans at the orphanage killed him just for being different. The same fate awaits you."
"Kill them before they kill you. You should know by now that it is your destiny to take human life."
"Shut up!"
"Huh?" Kouta turned to look at her in confusion. "Did you say something?"
Kaede lowered her hands, realizing she had spoken aloud. "Oh, s-sorry," she stammered. "I'm just a little tired because of the heat."
But Kouta's face lit up with an idea. "Well if you're too hot, I know the perfect place to cool off!"
"There's a nice stream near here we can go cool off at." His face lit up more. "Oh yeah, and that's actually where I met another kid last time!"
Kaede tensed slightly. "Another kid?"
"Yeah! He was super nice and we really hit it off," Kouta said. "I told him we should all hang out together next time I'm there. You gotta meet him if he's around later - I think you'd like him."
Kaede felt a small twinge of jealousy at the thought of Kouta's new friend. But she slightly relaxed when she realized it was just a young boy, not another girl trying to steal Kouta away. She didn't know why it mattered.
Kaede felt a small flutter of hope. He met a boy in the woods, what if it's Kakarot? She hesitated, then asked quietly "Is...is his name Kakarot by any chance?"
'Kacarrot? What a strange name,' Kouta thought.
Kouta furrowed his brow trying to remember. "No, I don't think so."
Kaede's face fell slightly. "Oh..." So it wasn't him after all.
Noticing her change in demeanor, Kouta asked "Hey, who's Carr-Kakarot anyway? A friend of yours?"
Kaede looked down, old pain crossing her face. "No one. Never mind, forget I asked," she mumbled.
Wanting to cheer her up, he said gently "Hey, even though it's not your friend, I still think you'll really like when you meet him."
Kaede looked up hesitantly. "You really think so?"
Kouta nodded with an encouraging smile. "Absolutely! He's super friendly and fun. I know you two will get along great."
'It's definitely not Kakarot,' she thought.
Seeing Kouta's sincerity, Kaede felt her mood lifting again. "Well, if you say so, I guess I'm willing to meet your new friend."
"Alright, let's go!" Kouta said excitedly.
Kouta led Kaede to a running stream surrounded by shady trees. "Here we are! This should cool us off."
Kaede dipped her feet in the cool stream. "Huh? Wow, the water feels so nice!"
Kouta suddenly splashed water on her face. "Hey, your face is dirty now!" he laughed.
"Ha ha, now you're the one who needs a bath!" Kaede retaliated by splashing him back playfully.
"You little!" Kouta grinned as he sent another splash her way. "That was payback!"
Kaede shrieked and tried to shield herself. "You started it!"
They laughed and splashed water at each other playfully. Before long, they were both soaked from head to toe.
Kouta kept glancing around as if searching for someone. His smiles became less frequent.
Kaede noticed his change in mood. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, it's just..." Kouta kicked a rock dejectedly. "I don't see the kid I told you about anywhere. I really wanted to introduce you two."
Kaede had completely forgotten Kouta's plan to meet his new friend. She is kind of glad the boy didn't show up. She just wanted to be with Kouta alone.
Seeing Kouta's disappointment, she said "I'm sure he would have come if he could. Maybe he got busy with something else today."
Kouta said, "It's a shame, that kid I told you about seemed really cool. You should've seen the way he caught fish!"
Kaede listened, curious to hear more. "Oh? How did he-"
But before she could ask, Kouta suddenly stopped, squinting towards the trees. "Hey, what's that over there?"
Kaede followed his gaze. Through the branches, she could just make out a large, spherical shape covered in vines.
"Let's go check it out!" Kouta said excitedly, already hurrying in that direction, water still dripping from his clothes.
"Wait, Kouta!" Kaede called, rushing to catch up. She was intrigued but also wary of unknown things hidden in the woods.
But Kouta's curiosity urged him onward. "Come on, this way!" he waved. With no choice, Kaede followed him towards the mysterious object, leaves crunching under their damp shoes.
As Kouta and Kaede got closer, the ground sloped downward into a crater-like indentation surrounding the object. Kaede felt uneasy, but Kouta's excitement only grew.
"This is so cool!" he said as he slid down into the crater. Kaede cautiously followed behind.
Up close, they could see the sphere was made of some kind of metal and very large, maybe 5 meters across. It looked like it had been there for a long time.
"What do you think it is?" Kaede asked nervously.
"No idea, but let's find out!" Before she could stop him, Kouta started tugging at the vines covering parts of the sphere. They ripped away to reveal more of the metallic surface underneath.
Kaede's heart pounded as she glanced around. "Kouta, maybe we shouldn't mess with this thing..."
But he wasn't listening, too enthralled by their discovery. "This is crazy! It must be alien or something! We might have discovered a spaceship!" His eyes were wide with excitement.
Kaede shook her head, frowning. "A-aliens aren't real, Kouta."
Kouta turned and noticed her frightened expression. "Okay okay, I was just joking around. We don't know what this thing really is. But wouldn't it be crazy if we met real aliens?"
Kaede shuffled her feet, gazing at the sphere. "I don't know. I guess I'd be scared of them if they were real..."
In her mind, another thought surfaced: What if she was the alien? She had always felt out of place in this world like she didn't belong.
"I bet aliens would actually be friendly if we gave them a chance." He glanced back with a grin. "What do you think, Kaede?"
She forced a small smile, not wanting to voice her true feelings. "Yeah, maybe you're right..." Kouta's optimism never ceased to amaze her. If only she could see the world through his eyes.
As Kouta circled the sphere, he suddenly stopped. "Hey look, there's a door here!" He tugged at the slightly ajar metal door until it swung fully open with a creak.
"Whoa..." Kouta's eyes lit up seeing the intricate interior. He immediately climbed inside and started pressing buttons and flipping switches excitedly.
"Careful, Kouta!" Kaede said, wringing her hands. "We don't know what that thing is!"
But Kouta was too enthralled exploring every inch of the odd contraption. "This is insane! I bet this is some top-secret government experiment."
He pressed and prodded everything he could reach, but nothing seemed to activate or turn on. After several minutes, Kouta crawled back out, a bit disappointed.
"Hmm, guess it's busted," he said, brushing dust off his clothes. "Still, how crazy that we found something like this out here!"
Just as they were about to leave, Kouta paused. "Wait, maybe there's some cool stuff still inside!" Before Kaede could stop him, he climbed back into the sphere.
She waited anxiously as crashing sounds came from within. After a few minutes, Kouta emerged grinning, his arms full.
"Check it out!" He held up a black and green armored vest. "This looks like some kind of alien clothes!"
Kouta also had a strange eyepiece - it was white with a green glass lens. "And this must be a laser blaster or scanner or something!"
Kouta kept fiddling with the scouter eyepiece, but couldn't get it to turn on. "Hmm, must be broken too," he muttered.
He glanced down at his still-damp clothes. "Well, at least the armor vest looks dry. I wonder if I can squeeze into it."
Kaede watched curiously as Kouta pulled the armored vest over his head. To their surprise, it stretched comfortably on Kouta.
Kouta slipped on the strange eyepiece and posed proudly in the form-fitting armor. "Well, what do you think Kaede? How do I look?"
Kaede giggled as Kouta struck dramatic poses in the oversized vest. "You look so silly, Kouta!"
"Hey, I think I look cool!" Kouta replied, grinning back at her.
Suddenly, the scouter eyepiece on his face came to life with a sharp beep. Strange symbols flashed across the green glass lens.
"Whoa!" Kouta's eyes widened in surprise. "I guess this thing still works after all!"
He tapped the scouter excitedly but the cryptic symbols kept rapidly changing. "Hmm, no idea what any of this means though..."
Kouta kept the scouter lens over his eye as they walked, glancing around curiously. Suddenly it beeped and located a tiny bird perched in a tree ahead.
"Whoa, it detected that bird before I even saw it!" Kouta said excitedly. As he looked around more, the device continued beeping and marking animals - a squirrel in the grass, a rabbit peeking out of its burrow.
"I get it now, this thing tracks living creatures!" Kouta exclaimed. He tapped the scouter, trying to understand the strange symbols. "Some kind of readings about them. This is so cool!"
Kaede watched with fascination. "Here, try it on me!" she said. Kouta turned the scouter her way. It beeped louder and a digit was added to the symbols.
"Awesome, it works on you too! This thing is so high-tech," Kouta grinned. "I'm definitely keeping it."
Kouta was admiring a deer through the scouter when suddenly a gruff, angry voice shouted from the device, "Who the hell are you!?"
"Ahhh!" Kouta yelped in surprise, nearly dropping the scouter. He fumbled to keep it on his head as the voice continued yelling.
Kouta's eyes were wide with shock. Kaede also stared at the scouter in alarm. "Kouta, I think someone's talking through it!" she said.
Kouta trembled, unsure how to respond to the angry voice. But suddenly a new voice came through the scouter.
"Vegeta, I think that's Raditz's little brother's scouter you're yelling at. I don't recognize this voice either."
"Kouta, I don't like this at all," Kaede said nervously. "Maybe we should just throw it away and get out of here."
Kouta hesitated a moment longer, then finally ripped the scouter off his face. "You're right, this was a bad idea," he said.
Ignoring the angry shouts still emitting from the device, Kouta reared back and flung the scouter as hard as he could into the woods.
"Come on, let's get out of here!" He grabbed a relieved Kaede's hand and they took off running, putting as much distance between them and the mystifying technology as possible.
Kouta and Kaede walked briskly back toward the stream, hearts still racing from their strange encounter.
"Man, it's too bad I couldn't keep that scouter, it was so cool before it started yelling at us," Kouta said wistfully. "Well, at least we know they aren't aliens since they seemed to speak our language."
"I think you're better off without it," Kaede replied, still looking around warily. "Oh, and you should take off that silly vest now too. Your clothes are probably dry by now."
Kouta glanced down at the form-fitting black and green armor he was wearing. "Oh right! I almost forgot about this thing."
He slipped the vest off over his head. Underneath, his t-shirt and shorts were mostly dry again after their earlier water play.
"Phew, feels good to be back in normal clothes," Kouta said, laying the vest on the ground.
"Looks like our clothes are dry again. We should head back to the bus," Kouta mentioned.
Kaede nodded. "Good idea."
As the bus lumbered down the road at sunset, Lucy turned to Kouta. "So, today is the day we say goodbye, huh?" she said wistfully.
Kouta nodded. "Yeah, I'm leaving tomorrow."
Kaede looked down. "Kouta? In my whole life, I've never had as much fun as I had today. Never in my whole life. Nothing even comes close."
"You're exaggerating," Kouta chuckled.
"I'll never forget about today. Not for the rest of my life," Kaede continued earnestly. "Kouta. You know, that festival you're going to..."
"Yeah?"
Kaede hesitated before asking softly, "Do you think...it would be a problem if I came with you?"
Kouta rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Oh. I'm sorry. I've already made a promise that I would go with my cousin."
"I see. That's how things go, I guess," Kaede replied, trying to mask her disappointment.
"I'm really sorry. If I hadn't made that promise..." Kouta said guiltily.
"Don't worry about it, Kouta," Kaede forced a smile. "So, this cousin of yours, she's a girl, right?"
Kouta gave her a strange look. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah..." Kaede trailed off, gazing out the window.
Kaede and Kouta stood overlooking the ocean on a stairwell as the sun set on their last day together.
"I really love the view of the ocean from up here," Kouta said, taking in the fiery sky.
"Thank you for today, Kouta," Kaede replied softly. "I had the best time."
Kouta smiled warmly. "Don't worry about it. I also had a lot of fun today. I really did."
An air of finality hung between them. "Well..." Kouta finally said.
"Yeah?" Kaede looked up hopefully.
"We're coming back next year. I'll see you again," Kouta promised.
Kaede hesitated before asking, "Hey, Kouta. That cousin you're taking to the festival tomorrow. Did you say it was a boy, or was it a girl?"
Kouta scratched his head, then said, "My cousin's a boy."
Kaede's face lit up with relief. "Oh, okay, that's great! Then tomorrow, tomorrow night I'll come see you off at the station. All right?"
Kouta nodded, feeling guilty about lying but not wanting to hurt her feelings.
Kaede suddenly bent down and picked up the puppy that had been following her all day. She held it out to Kouta.
Kouta looked confused. "Huh? You're giving him to me?"
"I think he'd have a better home with you," Kaede said softly, placing the wiggly pup in Kouta's arms. "Since you're leaving, I want you to have him, to remember me."
Kouta cradled the pup who licked his face happily. "But he's your friend..."
"Show him the same love I have, and that you've shown me," Kaede pleaded. "Promise me you'll take good care of him."
Kouta smiled and scratched the pup's ears. "Of course, I promise. Thank you." The pup yipped excitedly. "So what's his name?"
Kaede blinked. "Oh, I never named him actually."
"How about...Yoshi?" Kouta suggested. "It means 'good luck."
"Yoshi," Kaede repeated, smiling. "That's a wonderful name." Yoshi barked excitedly at his new name.
Kaede petted him one last time. "You make sure to bring Yoshi back next summer so I can see him again, okay?"
"It's a promise!" Kouta said, giving Yoshi a gentle hug as the pup licked his cheek. Kaede watched them fondly, heart filled with bittersweet emotions as the sun dipped below the waves.
Kaede knelt down to give Yoshi one last pat on the head. "Take good care of him," she said softly. "And I'll try to come see you off at the train station tomorrow before you go."
With a brave smile, Kaede waved and turned to go. "See you tomorrow then! Have a safe trip home!"
"See you tomorrow!" Kouta called after her.
Goku strolled through the lush forest, enjoying the warm sunshine. He paused for a moment, scratching his head. "Hmm, was I supposed to be doing something today, or was it yesterday?" he wondered. After a few seconds, he shrugged it off.
As he continued along the path, the faint sounds grew louder - cheerful laughter, excited chatter, and upbeat music.
It wasn't until he reached the edge of the woods that the aroma hit him - mouthwatering festival foods being cooked up just ahead. Goku's stomach rumbled hungrily as the smells wafted over on the breeze.
Emerging from the trees, Goku's eyes lit up seeing the bright fairgrounds sprawled out before him. Colorful booths lined the grounds, filled with games, vendors selling treats, and throngs of happy people.
He had heard the lively sounds first, but it was the irresistible smells of sizzling meats, candies, and snacks that made Goku's mouth water. Thoughts of anything else vanished from his mind as he eagerly plunged into the bustling crowds, intent only on sampling every delicious dish that awaited him.
Minutes later Goku was wandering through the festival when he heard, "Hey, Goku! Over here!"
He turned and saw a familiar-looking boy waving at him. Goku took a few seconds before remembering - "Oh yeah, that's Kouta!" he said to himself.
Goku bounded over, grinning. "Kouta! Nice to see ya!"
But Kouta had an annoyed look on his face. "Goku, where were you yesterday? You promised to meet me by the stream but never showed up."
Goku scratched his head. "Oh uh...I kinda forgot about that."
"You forgot?!" Kouta said in irritation. "Do you know how long three days are?!"
"Three days?" Goku started slowly counting on his fingers, trying to figure out how long that was.
Seeing this, Kouta's expression softened. He realized Goku wasn't the most reliable when it came to keeping track of time and appointments.
"Ah never mind, don't worry about it Goku," Kouta said, waving it off. "I'm just glad I ran into you here before I leave."
Goku grinned, oblivious to Kouta's earlier annoyance. "Yeah, me too! This festival looks amazing, and all this food smells so good!"
As Kouta was talking to Goku, his cousin Yuka and little sister Kanae came over.
"Hey, Kouta, who's your friend?" Yuka asked.
"Oh right, this is Goku!" Kouta said. He turned to Goku. "These are my cousin Yuka and my sister Kanae."
"I ran into Goku a few days ago in the woods while walking home," Kouta explained.
As Kouta introduced Goku, Kanae, and Yuka's eyes were drawn to his wild, spiky black hair.
"Your hair looks funny. It's cool!" Kanae exclaimed.
Yuka nodded. "I don't think I've seen hair quite like that before."
"Hey Goku, what's that fuzzy thing you've got tied on you?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh, that's just my tail," Goku replied casually.
Yuka and Kanae both burst out laughing. "Your tail? Yeah right!" Yuka said between giggles.
As Yuka and Kanae laughed at Goku's 'fake' tail, Kouta spoke up. "Actually you guys, it's a real tail. I've seen it move around."
Kanae rolled her eyes at her brother. "Oh come on Kouta, you can't expect us to believe that! Tails on people aren't real."
He turned to Goku. "Hey, why don't you join us? We're going to walk around, play some games, and get some food."
"That sounds great!" Goku said enthusiastically.
As they started strolling through the festival together, Kanae continued whispering to Kouta. "Are you sure it's okay for him to come along?"
Kouta nodded.
The group of Kouta, Goku, Yuka, and Kanae spent the evening wandering the lively festival fairgrounds and making the most of their time together before Kouta and his sister left. They played carnival games like ring toss and balloon darts, laughing together whether they won or lost.
At the food stalls, Goku's eyes went wide seeing the spread of tantalizing treats. He eagerly tried a little bit of everything. True to his hearty appetite, Goku polished off plate after plate, much to the amazement of Kouta and his family. They had never seen someone eat so much so fast!
As the fireworks show ended, Kouta knew it was time to head to the train station with Kanae.
He turned to Goku. "It was really great meeting you, Goku! Hopefully, we'll see you again someday."
Goku grinned. "Yeah, it was awesome! Have a safe trip back!"
"Bye, Goku! Thanks for hanging out with us," Kanae added happily.
After waving goodbye to Goku, Kouta then turned to Yuka and noticed she had gone quiet with a sad look on her face.
"Yuka, are you okay?" Kouta asked with concern.
Yuka gave a small, bittersweet smile. "I'm really going to miss you when you're gone, Kouta. We've made so many fun summer memories together here."
Kouta put reassuring hands on her shoulder. "I know. I'll miss you too. But this isn't forever, we'll see each other again."
Kaede slowly wandered through the lively festival crowds, keeping a watchful eye out for any sign of Kouta amongst the crowd. Being with him always filled her with the same warmth and comfort she had felt with Kakarot. She hoped to find him before the night was over.
As she gently squeezed past groups of festival-goers, a shock of spiky black hair suddenly caught Kaede's attention. Her heart skipped a beat – could it really be him?
The boy had his back turned to her, but Kaede would recognize that wild, gravity-defying hair anywhere – it could only belong to Kakarot! She knew he was alive!
But apprehension quickly dampened her spirits. What would she even say to him after everything that had happened? Would he resent her? Before she could ponder further, Kaede shook her head adamantly. None of that mattered now – she had to reunite with the first friend she had.
Kaede eagerly pushed through the crowds toward the spiky-haired boy, her mind solely focused on reaching him. But just before she could grasp his shoulder, her attention was drawn to two other familiar faces nearby – Kouta and his cousin.
Kaede froze in surprise. Didn't Kouta say his cousin was a boy? But here was a girl, tearfully embracing Kouta as he comforted her. Kaede overheard them sadly bidding farewell for the summer. Her chest tightened at the intimacy of their embrace.
"Stop being dumb! People can see us."
"Why not be able to see each other for so long? Not until next summer?"
"Hey, come on now. Don't cry."
Stunned, Kaede turned back around, but the spiky-haired boy had already disappeared. Was he even there in the first place? Crushing despair washed over Kaede, extinguishing the fleeting joy she had felt moments before.
Why? Her mind reeled in confusion. "Why is this happening?" Kaede muttered under her breath, her chest tightening painfully. Why had Kouta lied to her? Why did she see Kakarot?
Lost in despair, Kaede stumbled blindly backward without watching where she was going. She bumped hard into a large, gruff-looking man.
"Hey, watch it stupid kid!" the man bellowed angrily. "You're in my way!"
Before Kaede could react, he roughly shoved her aside. She lost her balance and fell hard on her face against the unforgiving pavement.
Too stunned and heartsick to get up, Kaede simply lay there with her cheek pressed to the cold ground. The crowds continued milling around her, oblivious to her anguish.
"I have no one...I'm completely alone," she choked out softly.
Suddenly, her surroundings melted away into inky blackness. Out of the void appeared Kouta, standing before her with a cold look in his eyes.
"Kouta?" Kaede whispered.
He scoffed. "There's no way I'd ever care for a girl with horns growing out of her head. You're nothing but a weird animal to me."
Kaede recoiled as if struck. "But...I thought..."
"I only liked watching you because freaks like you are interesting, like the animals at the zoo," Kouta sneered.
Just then, the headless ghost of Tomoo appeared, kicking Kaede sharply. "You don't belong in this world, freak!"
The orphan girl Kaede who had betrayed her materialized too, "Lying to monsters like you isn't the same as lying to humans. How stupid could you be to trust one?"
Kaede kept her head down until drops of blood splashed before her. She looked up with a gasp to see Kakarot, arms crossed and a sinister grin on his face as blood dripped from his head wound. It reminded her of what happened to him at the orphanage.
"How pathetic you still are," he sneered.
Kaede recoiled. "K-Kakarot?"
"You're the same weak, foolish girl as ever," he spat. "I'm dead because of you! And now you fantasize I'm alive to avoid the truth."
Kaede's lip quivered. "No, that's not..."
"I told you not to trust anyone!" Kakarot shouted. "Yet you replaced me readily with Kouta, desperate as ever for 'friends.'"
He laughed cruelly. "You thought I cared for you? You were just an insect to me. I only ever saved you out of pity."
Kaede trembled, his words cutting deeply. "I don't understand..."
Kakarot laughs again. "What? You thought we were friends because we were the same? Don't insult me! We were never the same. I don't don't have horns coming out of my head, and most importantly, I'm not a weakling like you."
"You never had me, and you never had anyone. You deserve nothing," Kakarot hissed before fading away.
Tears spilled down Kaede's cheeks as she heard those words.
Kaede lay collapsed on the ground, overwhelmed by despair. Cruel whispers rose from a crowd that had gathered around her.
Kaede sobbed, "No more...I can't take it anymore. No friends, no home. I have nothing now. I'm completely alone."
A familiar voice spoke. She turned to see the source - a mirror image of herself wrapped in bandages, emanating a sinister aura. "You should have realized by now - this world wasn't made for people like us."
It continued, "Remake the world, and I have the power to make that dream come true. Choose between cold shoulders and hate, or make this world a home for yourself."
"Kouta..." Kaede whispered sadly. "Goodbye. I really liked you."
The voice urged her again, "Embrace who you really are. It's the only way."
Kaede slowly rose to her feet, an icy look in her eyes as the crowds milled around her obliviously.
Kaede reached up and removed the hat covering her horns. Her pink hair and small curved horns were exposed for all to see.
Invisible hands unfurled from her back with lightning speed. Screams of terror pierced the air as her vectors slashed through the panicked crowds, leaving mangled corpses in their wake. The once-cheerful festival grounds rapidly transformed into a macabre scene of chaos and bloodshed.
Kaede walked slowly through the carnage and agony surrounding her, the empty hatred within her growing. These humans had never accepted her, so why should she continue showing them mercy? She would make sure no one could ever hurt her again.
On a distant planet, Vegeta, Nappa, and Raditz sat around a fire, ravenously devouring the cooked meat of the planet's native creatures after having exterminated the population.
Vegeta tore off a chunk of meat and chewed thoughtfully. "Those voices we heard earlier on the scouter...I didn't recognize them. Sounded like a couple of little brats."
Nappa shrugged. "Probably just some locals who got their hands on Raditz's kid brother's scouter. What was his name...Kakarot?"
"Hmph, yes. A pathetic excuse for a Saiyan, no doubt," Vegeta grunted.
Raditz stayed silent but wondered about his little brother. It had been years since Kakarot was sent to Earth as an infant. He had been hopeful when Kakarot first tried to contact him. How the hell did earthlings get ahold of his scouter? Could he have failed to complete his mission?
Nappa let out a bellowing laugh. "I bet Kakarot ended up dead at the hands of those weakling natives! So much for him conquering the planet."
Vegeta smirked. "If he's anything like his weakling brother here, I'm not surprised."
Raditz tensed in anger but held his tongue, not daring to talk back to the Saiyan prince. In his mind, he thought, "Just you wait, Kakarot. I'll give you 6 more years to finish Earth off. If you've failed when I return, you'll pay dearly for disgracing our Saiyan race..."
Looks like Goku meets Kouta. Too bad Kaede was so close to meeting Goku again but failed. Now she thinks he is really dead. It might be a while before they meet again. And so much will happen before that. Also now we know when Raditz is coming.
Yup this was one of the longer chapters as I have predicted, it's the longest one so far. I could have gotten it done yesterday but I had other work to do. This chapter is long because I wanna get this part of the story over with. A lot of the stuff that happens in canon still happens here and I didn't really wanna dedicate more chapters to the retelling of Elfen Lied.
Also the purpose for this story was really for Goku to meet Kouta and Yuka for the future part of this story.
There is also a reason why the events don't change much or that Goku reunites with Kaede again. It's because I still want her to become Lucy in the future. I was thinking of maybe letting Goku step in a saving Kouta's sister but I decided not to because it has something to do with the dragon balls in the future. That's also why I didn't show much after Kaede uses her vectors in the festival. Just in case I change something in the future. Also because I didn't wanna retell something you probably already seen. But you can assume for now that things happened the same as the anime.
Looking back on this chapter I might have missed a few details. I was kind of in a rush to get it done. I might edit a few things later.
This chapter is basically the finale for this part of the story. Chapter 6 might be a time skip. See you next chapter.