I changed the title of this chapter several times. I wanted to go one way but the story was going another way and it just got to a point where I decided the right path to go..I have an idea as to where the next chapter will go but who knows? I let the story guide me so it's a game of sort to me! :D I have a general idea as to what I want to happen, it's how to get there is the fun part. ::grins::
Disclaimer: The Dragonball Franchise and Bleach, its characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to me.
Chapter 5: Confrontation
Three weeks ago, an awkward teenage girl entered the Son family. Now, she seemed brighter…Kira had adjusted quite well to her new environment. She still drew constantly; Gohan never asked about the 'smudge' again, at least not yet. He wanted Kira to feel safe enough to tell her truths. Besides, there didn't seem to be any sort of danger though Gohan still kept a bit of his guard up. Whenever Kira presented her work, Gohan would admire it, not once commenting on the shadow that made itself ever present in her drawings. He did take notice that the shadow seemed to be more defined the more Kira drew. What started out as a mere shadowed shape began to slowly form into that of a human-like form still in shadow. Could that be the reason why her grandfather made her burn her artwork? To prevent this shadow from being revealed through Kira's drawings?
"Her grandfather made her burn her drawings…And a shadow that seems to become more defined as she draws it." Gohan had relayed the information to his mentor, Piccolo who had come over that day. Videl, Pan, and Kira had gone shopping. "She said she was able to save a notebook from being burned? Where is it?"
"In her room." Gohan said and Piccolo was gone instantly, reappearing seconds later. In his hands was a brown covered book.
"This seems to be the oldest thing in there…I assume this is it…" Piccolo began to flip through the pages.
"Ah…Piccolo-San…" Gohan gapped. Sure this was important but…to just go into Kira's room like that!?
"There does not seem to be anything out of the ordinary…" Piccolo hmmed. "But you are correct…The shadow seems to be forming with each…"
Piccolo paused, disappeared then reappeared again without the book. Gohan only guessed he had heard something and just seconds later Videl, Pan, and Kira entered the garden.
"Ah! How was your shopping?" Gohan laughed nervously at the girls.
"It was great." Videl smiled as Pan squealed at the sight of her uncle Piccolo. "Ah…Piccolo-San…"
Kira stared at the green man without so much as a blink. Piccolo, on the other hand, regarded the teen with his usual suspicious glare.
"Ah…Kira-San…Piccolo is going to stay for dinner." Gohan said. "Hey! Why don't you draw him while dinner gets ready? I think it'll be cool…It isn't every day you can draw Piccolo-San."
"He's…floating…" Kira said and Gohan nodded. Piccolo had situated himself as his usual meditative stance several feet off the ground.
"Yeah…Pretty cool huh?"
Videl and Pan inside, Gohan and Kira sat at the garden table, Piccolo's eyes on the teenage girl. She stared at him for a brief moment, their eyes locking before she sighed, gripped the notebook sitting at the table in front of her…picking up one of her new drawing pencils, she went to work.
Piccolo noticed the girl's reaction and found it weird. She was definitely not some normal human teen. She didn't even flinch when she met Whis or Beerus and now she was treating his flying as some normal routine. Had she seen such oddities before? And if so…who and where did such things occur? More and more questions were surrounding this human teen, more than Piccolo wanted. As the girl began her drawing, Piccolo watched her ki carefully…it spiked a bit but not enough to cause alarm. She barely had any ki to begin with, a mere spike of it barely registered.
Videl came by with drinks, happy that everyone was getting along. Piccolo noticed Kira's focus was solely on her pad, scribbling away at it even as Videl tried to get her attention. At least the kid's focus was spot on.
This girl was some form of enigma…She looked like a normal teenager with an obsession with drawing yet Piccolo's senses just couldn't see her as such. He felt tense around her, like at any moment she would attack.
"Done." Kira's voice brought Piccolo back to reality. He watched Gohan lean over Kira's shoulder; Gohan gasped.
"Wow…That's amazing Kira-chan!" Gohan's eyes were wide enough for Videl to come and take a look and she too was impressed.
"Oh my! Kira-chan! Your drawing skills have improved so much in such a short time!" Videl gasped.
Kira blushed at the praise. "Um…Thanks…"
"But…What about that black thing there?" Videl pointed. "Behind Piccolo-san?"
"Oh…That…" Kira frowned. "That's a smudge."
Piccolo's ears perked up at that. A smudge behind him?
"Can I show Piccolo-san?" Gohan asked the girl who shrugged, handing Gohan the notebook. Gohan walked over to Piccolo and presented the drawing.
Indeed it was quite extraordinary. Apparently Kira believed the garden wasn't fit for Piccolo…She had drawn him floating in a ravine. The picture looked so realistic down to the stern look of Piccolo's eyes. There were also lines…wavy ones, surrounding Piccolo's body.
Then Piccolo spotted it…the 'smudge' of the moment. It was behind him and it certainly didn't look like a smudge…It looked more like…a person in shadow. He could make out the outline of a person and the more he stared at it the more he could see…there was something at the person's side…It was hard to make out but clearly it was long and it was attached to the shadowed person. The more he stared at the person the more tense Piccolo grew. Something was just…wrong…He resisted the urge to look behind him…
"Hey, why don't you help Videl get the table ready for dinner, Kira-chan?" Piccolo barely registered Gohan's voice. He was more focused on the shadow standing behind his portrait and calming down the intense screaming of danger his senses were radiating at the moment.
"Piccolo-san…They're gone." Piccolo looked toward Gohan who nodded. The green man quickly turned around and saw nothing but the wall of the home and grass below. There was no shadow person there and he couldn't feel anything.
He returned to the sketchbook, carefully looked at each drawing.
"How long has she had this?"
"Since the day of the party." Gohan said. "Mom, dad, and Goten gave it to her as a gift. She hasn't let go of it ever since."
"Hmmm…" Piccolo was focused on finding this 'shadow'…and find it he did…
In every single picture.
A window, in a door frame…It was everywhere. Someone…or something…was watching Kira. Based on what he saw in her older notebook, the thing had been watching her for a while and with each drawing, the shadow became clearer and more defined.
"I noticed it too…" Gohan said. "I don't think she knows—"
"You need to tell her, Gohan." Piccolo handed Gohan the notebook.
Gohan sighed. "I know but…" He frowned.
"Don't you think everything is odd about this girl?" Piccolo prodded. "Some random old man dies and NOW his kin is with your family? It's obvious the girl can see ki and is hiding such an ability…Add to the fact that her reaction to the supernatural was NOTHING like the normal reaction one would have should they see such things for the first time…This girl is used to seeing the unreal, Gohan."
"Yeah, I know." Gohan sighed again. He appreciated Piccolo's starch protective nature, however this was a delicate situation. Kira was just an awkward kid…
"Fine. If you won't confront her then I will." Piccolo set his feet down. "Though I won't be as…compassionate as you will be."
"Okay! Okay!" Gohan stood in front of his mentor. "Can we…just…do this after dinner?"
Piccolo huffed. "Fine."
Dinner was silent but Videl and Gohan made the most of it. Pan was oblivious to the tension in the air, more concerned with getting as much food as possible onto her uncle Piccolo instead of her mouth. Dinner done, Videl started cleaning while everyone else sat in the living room. Pan was busy enjoying her toys on the carpet while Gohan sat with Kira on the sofa, who was again, knee deep in drawing. Piccolo took a spot near Pan, refusing to let the baby out of his sight.
"Kira-chan…" Gohan wondered how he could approach this…did Kira really know? Or was she just doing what she felt?
"Yeah?" She asked. This girl's focus was truly extraordinary. She acknowledged Gohan yet was still in deep concentration in her drawing.
Gohan decided to start with a lesser question. "Those…lines you draw around people…They aren't mistakes…Are they?" Gohan gently prodded and her pencil stopped. Piccolo noted her reaction instantly.
"It's called Ki…" Gohan explained. "It's okay…You're not the only one that can see it…Piccolo and I can…My dad too…"
Saying nothing, Kira started drawing again.
"It's not something to be afraid of really." Gohan continued. "I've been able to see Ki since I was four…" He leaned against the coach. "Most of the time it's blue…Like a gentle light that surrounds people." He chuckled. "Our family tends to have…yellow or other colors…It's…I guess the best way to explain it is that it's your life force I guess…Right Piccolo?"
Before Piccolo could respond, the pencil immediately fell from Kira's hand, dropping silently onto the paper below.
"That's why…" She mumbled so low but Piccolo caught it instantly.
"Speak up." His tone was a bit harsh but Piccolo was pretty much over this sentimental bull. She jumped a bit at his harsh tone and she started to shake. Piccolo raised a brow.
Gohan frowned at his mentor.
"Kid…" Piccolo ignored Gohan, his gaze towards the shaking Kira. "You can see Ki…Fine…Not many can…But I don't care about that…Nor do I care what happened to you, what I care about is what you've brought here and I want to know one thing…And one thing only…What is the shadow you always draw? No more cloak and dagger."
"Piccolo-San…" Gohan knew Piccolo was harsh but this, to him, was too much!
Kira hung her head, her shakes increasing.
"I…I…" Gohan watched droplets hit the paper, Kira's hands went to her face. Worrying instantly enveloped Gohan…Kira was crying.
"I…I don't know…Okay!?" She screamed and suddenly the notebook went flying clear across the room, Kira booking it down the hall, slamming her bedroom door closed in the process.
Gohan sighed. "Piccolo-San…That wasn't okay…"
"Maybe…" Piccolo picked up Pan from his head. How the toddler got up there he just didn't want to know. "But at least we know something…"
"Yeah…" Gohan frowned.
After Piccolo left, Gohan ventured to Kira's door. He stared at it for a moment before lightly knocking. Using his abilities, he could feel her Ki within.
"Kira-Chan…" He spoke to the door. "Piccolo-san can be harsh…He's just worried, like me…I am worried about you, Kira-Chan…If there is something you are scared of, please…Let me know…" He touched the door. "I want to protect you, Kira-Chan…"
There was a pause before the door clicked open.
"…I…I'm a freak…Aren't I?" She murmured out.
"Actually, you're pretty normal compared to our family." Gohan spoke the truth. He had an idea how to get her to understand. He just hoped it would do the trick. "Hey…wanna see something cool?"
His body burst with the golden light of a Super Sayajin, his hair turning golden and his eyes bright green. Kira's eyes widened at his form, the girl too shocked to speak.
"See?" He powered down instantly. "I'm not…exactly normal either…" He paused. "I have an idea…Why don't I call your school and tell them you won't come in tomorrow. We can have the whole day to talk."
"But…" She protested but Gohan held out a finger.
"Let me be a big brother, okay?" He gave her a gentle smile. "Go to bed, Kira-Chan…Tomorrow you'll find out…You're in the right company."
She accepted his words, nodding and closing her door behind her. She paused though, looking behind Gohan.
"It's…behind you…the…Shadow." She said then closed her door.
Gohan turned around and again, found nothing behind him. He did however, get that feeling again…the feeling of danger nearby. He glared into the hallway.
"I think I clearly told you to leave her alone…" He spoke to the wind. "And I think you know I mean business now…Otherwise…I wouldn't feel as if something is about to kill me…Am I right?"
The feeling began to reseed. Gohan could only guess the shadow had retreated, finally understanding his warning from before. Satisfied, Gohan decided then and there he needed to talk to Kira. However, he was worried…
How…How was he supposed to protect her, from something he couldn't see?
Next Time: Gifts and Curses
