Chichi had taken Gohan shopping. A sure sign that she was upset, and even Gokuu could tell why. It seemed that Chichi was in a bit of a quandary. She knew that Katera, though a child, was still essentially adult, but just from the looks of her, Chichi couldn't help but mother her. The only problem was, Katera didn't want any part of Chichi's mothering.
Gokuu sighed as he watched Katera cart her sword out the front door
with a still indignant look on her face. Upon deciding on
shopping, Chichi had declared that Katera was going with her to get
some new clothes. Katera had in response snapped that the clothes she had
were fine enough and that Chichi was to leave her the hell alone.
Then the arguing had begun.
Chichi figured it was necessary for the little warrior to have a wardrobe
consisting of more than just her gi and one of Gohan's
surcoats that she wore whenever Chichi got ahold of her gi to wash
it. Katera figured it was more important to train with Piccolo.
So, Chichi had left with Gohan in the aircar. The poor boy needed new textbooks as he'd finished with the one's he had. Katera had retrieved her sword and was about to go off in search of Piccolo. That left Gokuu home by himself. He figured it would be a good time to take a nap.
But then he realized he was hungry and opted to go fishing instead. Leaning against the door frame, Gokuu watched as Katera strapped the heavy sword to her back and adjusted it appropriately. He had to admire Katera in a way. She'd adjusted rather well to her new life. She was perpetually angry, but somehow he got the feeling that wasn't much of a change.
" Ja ne Katera, " called Gokuu in parting.
She looked at him suspiciously. She still didn't take too well to his frequent kindness. " erm... Ja ne... Kak-- Gokuu...san. "
Then she was gone and Gokuu was alone. His stomach rumbled insistantly
and Gokuu patted it reassuringly. Soon he would have food. He set off for
the river.
Several hours later, Son Gokuu returned with his fish, and in the glowing
morning sunlight he found there was a visitor to his
homestead.
She stood with her back to the wall, looking off to the side away from him. Long black hair was bound into a braid, and a plain gray dress hung to the grass in modest swaths around her.
" Yaa, " Gokuu greeted amicably.
" Konnichi wa, " greeted the visitor quietly.
[While Yaa is a very informal greeting, the equivalent to 'hi' in English, Konnichi wa is, while still informal, the more polite way to greet someone. It means 'hello' or 'good afternoon']
She turned her head and looked at him then, and Gokuu blinked. " Sarro? "
She smiled thinly. " Perhaps. "
Gokuu thought on this a moment, then attempted, " Zello? "
" Even farther. "
Now he was really confused.
The visitor indicated the door to his home. " If we go inside, shall I explain? "
" Hai, " Gokuu consented, opening the door and, remembering his manners, stepped aside. " Doozo osakini. "
[trans=> please, go ahead]
" Arigato gozaimasu. " The visitor entered the main room and sat herself at the table across from the door. Folding her hands on the table's surface she waited patiently for Gokuu to sit. When he did, she began almost immediatly.
" In answer to your initial questions. I am Sarro, but I am from the future, a future in which these events will never reach what I hope will come of them. The Sarro you now know is a combination, a fusion if you will, of myself and a younger version from this timeline. Moreso her than I, I'm afraid, as she is still too stubborn to believe that we are losing. "
" Losing? " Gokuu repeated with furrowed brow.
Elder Sarro began twisting her hands, casting her eyes upon them as she reminisced with affection in her voice. " I'd heard about you before I came to Chikyuu once more. A young boy who was Super Saiyajin. I had no idea of the complicated life you had led. "
" Boy Super Saiyajin? " he echoed cluelessly.
She smiled at him, and Gokuu saw that the affection in her voice was for him. " That's not for awhile yet. Not even Kaiousama can forsee all of the future in store for you. "
Do tell, came the indignant voice of Kaiousama in her head.
Sarro smirked faintly and wrung her hands some more. She looked off to the side, up and around the room before looking back at Gokuu. " I was raised on Chikyuu. My parents were that which is unheard of; Saiyan pacifists. They lived on Chikyuu believing the weak species would be of no concern to their species. How wrong they were. I never knew of my heritage until they fled after discovering an infant had been sent. I'm guessing that was you. I left them then, set off on my own. To sound a cliche I was young and rebellious. I fought in many tournaments, apparantly nearly meeting Vejiita until my father tracked me down.
" By then I had garnered quite a reputation, and when he informed me that my mother was dying, I told him it could wait. It couldn't. "
" Your Okaasan died? "
" Yes. Starved to death after falling prey to an Earth-bound addiction. Some vile substance called Jello. My namesake. "
Thinking of the jello packets Chichi had in the cupboard, Gokuu looked confused but said nothing.
Sarro continued, " By the time my 'reputation' was assured, my mother had died, and my father disappeared. It was then when I first felt the Dark Power.
" At first it seemed content to just watch me and the universe exist in our solitary company. But then it began to move, attacking me in a cafe on a nothing planet. I suppose I'd brought it on myself. I'd been looking for ways to destroy it. It's a threat, a threat to the well being of everything in this universe. That was when I heard of you.
" The Namekuseijin that I'd met spoke of a man called Son Gokuu who could harness the power of the Super Saiyajin and become a creature with golden hair and emerald eyes. Other species told of a young boy with the same qualities. Either way, all roads led to Chikyuu. " Sarro's voice lowered and she leaned heavily on her hands. " But when I arrived in search of this man, he was dead. "
Now Gokuu was completly lost. " But, I'm right here. "
Sarro smiled at him, " Keep in mind that this is far in the future. Several hundred years, in fact. "
" Oh. "
" I met with Dende on Heaven's Platform under direction from Karin. It was his suggestion that I go to the past. He theorized that if the Dark Power will follow me anywhere, it will follow me to any time. He was right. He's been right about a lot of things... "
Good to know, commented Dende.
" So, you didn't want my help with Katera, you want my help with this Dark Power you speak of, " Gokuu clarified after a moment of thought.
" Yes, " Sarro's voice was faint, ashamed.
" I don't understand. Why the deception? Why not just tell me upright? "
Sarro paused, searching for words. " It is easier to accept a tangible enemy than one who is intangible. This is a game between the Dark Power and I, a game with players. I chose Katera for one of mine, thus it chose Jiiyar for one of it's. I did need your help with Katera, and you've done wonderfully. But Yamcha has been pursuing me, trying to unravel the mystery. Piccolo distrusts me, Vejiita not only distrusts me but he dislikes me. "
" That's cuz you slapped him, " Gokuu pointed out. " Twice. "
" Yes, " Sarro laughed silently once at herself, " well, there's those slips as well. This ruse is becoming harder and harder to keep up. " Sarro narrowed her eyes. " I feel it, it is coming. "
Gokuu nodded. " I think I feel it too. A darker force who's approach is faster than Freezer's. "
Sarro blinked at him. " You know Freezer's coming?! "
He nodded. " If I hadn't found that shortcut to Chikyuu, he would have arrived before me, and then I don't know what would have happened. "
Mirai no Trunks is what would have happened, Sarro muttered inwardly.
" Well, " said Sarro resolutely, standing up and placing her hands frimly on the table. " It was of the opinion of Dende and myself that you, at the very least know about this. But you must promise me, Son Gokuu, that you will not speak a word of this to anyone, not even the Sarro you know. "
" Okay. " Gokuu then rose as well. He and Sarro walked to the door side by side, not saying anything more. However, once Sarro had left the house and he was watching her walk across the clearing, an new question rose to his mind. " Neh, Sarro. Does the Dark Power have a name? "
" Hai, " she responded, turning slightly and said, " he is know by the name, Kuraft. " Then, without so much as a glimmer or sound, Elder Sarro was gone, and Gokuu was left with a chilled feeling.
Kuraft
Then came Kaiousama's voice in his head, Ohh, Gokuu, I really don't like this...
" Neither do I, Kaiousama, " Gokuu admitted, looking up to the skies and feeling his ki sense fairly cringe as it encountered the Dark Power, " Neither do I... "
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Meanwhile, younger Sarro was sitting curled up in a bay window reading. The sun was streaming in through the window, riding a breeze that rustled the curtains ever so slightly. She could hear the bubbly laughter of children down the street, and without looking up she could see the big fluffy clouds chasing each other across a gorgeous sky.
It made her aprehensive, all this perfection.
Sarro was content. She was fitting in to this life on Earth, and that bothered her. Where was the Dark Power? Why wasn't it here yet? It wasn't right that things were so quiet. Jiiyar's ship still loomed upon her senses from orbit. There was something up there. Something not encountered previously. Another power, a huge, evil power. Whether or not it surpassed that of Son Gokuu, Sarro's inexperienced sense couldn't determine. But it bothered her. So much in fact, that she couldn't remember what she was reading.
A knock sounded at the door and Sarro gave an exasperated sigh. Unfurling her legs from underneath her, she approached the door, fully expecting to see Yamcha and Pouar. They weren't spying on her at the moment, probably off to get a tent to camp on her lawn. They were probably knocking to ask her for a hammer so they could put the stakes in her nice lawn.
This game was annoying.
But then, would it really be so bad if Yamcha stuck around that much? Sarro vehemently pushed that thought from her head. Some part of her still chose to be attracted to him. She supposed that he was handsome, with that dark, almost Saiyan-like hair, and those scars on his face that gave away that he wasn't just a player. For a human he was awfully strong, and much smarter than Bulma gave him credit.
This Could work to her advantage, perhaps...
Just for the sake of it, Sarro called, " Who is it? " but her only response was another knock. Sarro grasped the handle and opened the door, her mouth open to greet Yamcha by name.
However, it was not him who greeted her at the door...
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[Didn't I tell you we'd get some answers? Whether those answers are true or not, or half-truths, we have yet to find out. But now we know the Dark Power's name, and judging from the title of this saga, I think we know what's coming up... That's right! The next chapter! Unfortunately, at this point in time, that chapter is without a name. So, be here next time for Chapter Sixteen, by then I'll have it titled!]
[Written by Inseiko, 2000]
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