Thank you everyone for liking this story! I am sure some of you are saying "come on already! Tell us the secret! When are they gonna figure it out!?" Patience…The build up is the best part! Also, I'm having some technical formatting issues (you've probably noticed instances when spaces are short and long between paragraphs/speech). So bear with me whilst I figure out what's going on. Now, on with the story! By the way, you must have noticed there is a A LOT of dialogue. While practicing quick turnover, I am also trying out dialogue led stories. I've never really considered it a format but I wanted to try it a bit longer than just 1 explanation chapter.
Disclaimer: The Dragonball Franchise and Bleach, their characters, settings, etc., belong to their respective creators. All original characters, settings, etc., belong to ME!
Chapter 9: The Dinner
Goku arrived first, his nose already in the kitchen. Unlike Chi-chi, Videl welcomed him, even allowed him to taste some food. Gohan coerced his food obsessed father into the living room, giving Videl some space. There Goku immediately set his eyes on his grandbaby who cooed at him.
"Ah…Kira-Chan!" Gohan rushed out into the hallway. Kira was there, closing her bedroom door. "Hey, Dad's here…"
He noticed the aura of gloom surrounding the teen, her nervous twitch of arm rubbing already starting. He went to her, placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I remember what I said…It's going to be alright." He escorted her into the living room.
"Hey! Kira-Chan!" Goku greeted whilst lying on the floor with Pan high up in his arms. "We're praticin' flying!" Pan squealed in delight in her grandpa's arms.
Kira side-eyed Gohan who just chuckled. Piccolo arrived soon after, his entrance more subdued. The green alien said nothing, just leaned against a wall, waiting.
Dinner was a somewhat silent affair, Goku stuffing his face with Videl and Gohan leading any and all conversation.
"You should go out with your school friends sometime, Kira-Chan." Videl suggested.
"Uh…They are wanting to do something for my birthday on Friday…" Kira said and Goku nearly choked on his food.
"WHAT!? Your birthday is Friday!?" His jaw dropped. "Oh man! Chi's gonna kill me!"
"It's okay dad!" Gohan eased his father. "No one knew, even Kira-Chan forgot until it was announced at her school." He looked towards Kira. "They probably do that for everyone there."
Kira just shrugged. "I guess so…"
Piccolo remained silent, knowing when to keep his mouth shut. Gohan had strictly told him to not say anything until after the dinner or Pan was off limits. A bit of pride hit him in knowing his former student had a back bone, threatening his own teacher twice. Still, with Kira being an enigma with so much power…It was a bad idea to not keep an eye on her, constantly. Not until questions were answered.
Dinner done, Gohan thought it best they journeyed to the garden for the rest of the night's events. Before going outside, Piccolo told Kira to get her drawing notebooks, including the one she saved from burning. She splayed the three notebooks on the table for the males to see. Goku tilted his head in wonder.
"What's these got to do with anything?" Goku pondered.
"The shadow wanted her to stop drawing during the tournament, and I know why." Piccolo gripped the oldest notebook, stared at Kira. "I have a feeling you were left out of the loop in all of this…Like all living things, you have Ki…But…You have much more of it than it seems."
"Seriously?" Goku immediately stared at Kira. "I don't see nothing big…Just normal person ki."
"That's because it's in these." Piccolo gestured to the old notebook. "Everytime Kira draws, she siphons her ki into the drawings…A mediation of sorts."
Gohan looked taken aback. "Wow…" Even Kira was astonished by this revelation. She was shaking. "Kira-Chan…"
"Tell me something." Piccolo regarded Kira. "Everytime you draw, does it feel as though something is leaving your body? It could feel like a pull or even a nudge." Her widened eyes confirmed it. "That is your ki leaving your body and entering the drawing."
"Wow! Cool!" Goku grinned. "I didn't know you could do that! Lemme see!" He took the orange notebooks. "Geez…I don't feel anything…"
"Put your hand on a drawing and send some of your ki into the page…Be warned…It will be shocking."
Gohan and Goku gave each other a stare. Goku chose an image before placing his hand on the drawing and closing his eyes. It took all but two seconds before Goku ripped his hand away, dropping the notebook on the table.
"What the…" Shaking, Goku looked at his hand. "What…What was that?" He felt tense, the sensation of a battle about to happen. He tried to control his breathing but it was hard to get over that feeling of intense danger…
Apprehension enveloped Gohan's being. His dad's appearance was one he had seen many times before…As if Goku was about to enter battle. Gripping the orange notebook, Gohan mimicked his dad's actions. His eyes flew open and he almost threw the notebook clear into the skies. He became mute, his body shaking. That ki was…It was nothing like he had felt before. He saw the blackness in his mind, warning signs that he needed to leave or he was going to truly die.
"Kira-Chan…" His shocked eyes went to Kira. "How…"
"How is she still alive? That is the question." Piccolo grunted. "My guess, Kira, you have been siphoning your ki into the pages unconsciously, like a failsafe. Your subconscious knows if you do not release some of your ki, it will engulf you completely." He eyed the girl. "You are powerful, kid…far more powerful than any of us…"
She blinked. "Me…? But…I…" She couldn't speak, couldn't move.
Piccolo continued. "Do you remember anything about your parents?"
Pausing she said, "No…I just…remember my grandfather…"
"How long were you with him?"
"For as long as I can remember…" Kira answered.
"I see…" Piccolo folded his arms. "Your ki…I felt it through that notebook I destroyed…It isn't Sayajin and it isn't human either…"
"Wait…Ya mean Kira-chan's not from earth?" Goku gapped.
"That was my first assumption yes…However, as far as I know, there are no beings anywhere with the type of ki Kira has…" He eyed Kira. "From what I felt, you, kid, are strong enough to defeat Goku."
Goku jumped from his seat. "Whoa!? Seriously!? Even as Blue?"
Piccolo's serious gaze was toward the Sayajin. "Even in that blue form of yours…"
Crickets. Silence.
Kira shook her head. "Okay now I know you're crazy…There's no way—"
"Your shadow protector most likely did not want Beerus or Champa to feel your ki and decided you shouldn't be drawing in their presence." Piccolo explained. "I believe this shadow knows what you are…And is protecting you because of this."
"But…You don't see it at school, do you Kira-Chan?" Gohan asked and Kira nodded.
Such information peeked Piccolo's curiosity. "Hmm…It does not present itself at school…Then someone else must be doing its job while you are at school." He paused. "You said you could see hands gripping a sword, correct?"
"Yeah…"
"Anything else you noticed in that brief time?"
She paused.
"I…saw black…I think…I think it was wearing black…" She said, wondering why the conversation went from her ki to the shadow.
"Is it here?" He asked and she rubbed her arm.
"…Yeah…" She pointed high above, on the roof. "It's…Up there…Watching us…"
"It must have learned its lesson…" Piccolo smirked. "Damned thing…" He folded his arms. "I have an idea as to what this…Thing…Might be…It's crazy, but it's all Dende and I can come up with. It fits the somewhat pattern we currently have." He picked up her black notebook. "Tell me…Where did you get this?"
"A…Friend at school gave it to me…" She said. Piccolo knitted his brows.
"Either your friend is into gothic stuff, or your friend is one of them…I am guessing the latter, otherwise this symbol." He pointed to the skull on the front. "Wouldn't be so prominent."
Goku scratched his head. "A black notebook with a skull? Huh?"
"It's an image not many people know, nor is seen often, but it confirms my suspicions." Piccolo frowned. "I am sure if you showed this to Whis or even Beerus-sama, they would instantly know as well." His gaze went to Kira.
"You're guardian…Is most likely a servant of death…A shinigami…And whoever gave you this…Is one as well."
Next Time: Reconnaissance
