Again this sad little writer's world is disrupted by her lack of
knowledge about her own machinations.
The fighter that had attacked Trunks and exuded that mysterious little
aura of yeah-I-know-Katera-but-I'm-not-telling-you-where-from appeared
in the middle of a large arena-type room in the middle of
Kaious-know-where. In the writer's case, maybe she doesn't know...
or maybe she's throwing in this little additive element of mystery to throw
her readers off and make them wonder just how much of this story is conjecture...
and maybe she won't tell you the truth.
Sore wa himitsu desu.
Yes, the figure stood at the centre of a very large room. I'm sure he would have been sitting had he bothered to put chairs in the room. But as he hadn't had this foresight, he settled for standing and contemplating his plans.
What are these plans, you ask?
Well, for now let's just say that they involve killing Trunks, Goten, Gohan, and Kyande. I'll bet you're wondering why. I'm sure you can guess/assume that it has something to do with Katera.
Which brings us back to the real question: how does this guy know Katera?
That too, will come in time. (really! I promise!)
So, he'd failing killing the half-breed Trunks. But the encounter had proven his theory about why Katera had failed. Blasted boy, why was he training the son of Vejiita? Why was he consorting with these Earthians?
Death to the Saiyajin half-breeds.
Death to those whom had brought about the downfall of the Saiyajin no senshi Kateraope.
Death.
Death...
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Katera's back was stiff as she entered the room.
She had definitely grown since the battle with the Dark Power Kuraft. She was even stronger now than she'd been before her regression. So many battles had honed her skills... and her heart.
She stood just inside the door for a moment, the deep shadows cast by the lamp by the bed hiding her face from the cheekbones up.
There was only a faint glimmer of green where her scouter was switched on.
Nowadays, it was kept on more out of habit than neccessity.
She'd fought hard battles, against the androids, then Cell, then after a stretch of nothing in which she had to deal with her first... well, what felt to her like her first real loss in life; Son Gokuu... and then finally the fight with Buu. But the hardest battle had been retaining some semblance of herself.
She and Vejiita shared that battle.
Speaking of Vejiita.
" What are you doing here? " he snapped from where he stood by the bed, not turning to face her.
But despite their fighting it all, both she and Vejiita had become attached to their respective families. Somewhere along the lines, the two most powerful of the Saiyajin race (Gokuu DIDN'T count! He was too human!) had learned to care.
She just had one question.
" I came to see my student. "
How the hell had she grown to care about HIM?
Trunks turned his head to smile at her from within the swaths of sheets Bulma had wrapped him in. Seemed Vejiita had ruined the regeneration tank Capsule Corporation had built and it was in the process of repairs. Along with the Gravity Room... the weight room... the fridge...
" Katerasan, " he said, as always including that absurd polite-form at the end of her name.
Katera sniffed in contempt. " Are you going to die? " she inquired, careful to keep her tone as emotionless as she could. She looked to the side, but her eyes crept back to gaze upon that smiling face.
" Yup, " he responded, the grin turning wry, " Gomen. "
Snort.
" Why not? " She moved to sit by the bed on the chair Bulma set out for Trunks' visitors. " I'm not through with you yet. "
Vejiita broke into the conversation then. " If you hadn't started this
rediculous training in the first place he wouldn't be in this
predicament. "
Katera's eyes landed, cool and appraising, on the former prince before her. " Oh? " she said in a nonchalant tone that she Knew would annoy him, " And you would have done so much better? "
Vejiita fumed a moment. " Did you fight this mysterious attacker, Katera? " he demanded, gestulating with his hands to enforce his point. He stepped closer to the Saiyajin in the chair, his face pinched intimidatingly. " Did you do a single damn thing to help Trunks? "
Katera stood up and glared Vejiita straight in the eyes. " It was my showing up that kept your boy from being killed. "
" So you say. "
" You would look for conspiracy, wouldn't you, Vejiitaojisama? " she sneered in his face. It was not so common since his death, but she still every so often (in the heat of argument) utilized his title in a tone of sarcasm.
Just like it had every time before, Vejiita's expression darkened. He opened his mouth, looking about to shout when--
" Trunkschan! I brought you some soup, honey! " Mrs. Briefs exclaimed,
entering with a laden tray with soup, tea, biscuits, fruit,
and a whole mess of other sick-person foods.
Upon her arrival, Katera and Vejiita chose to just glare at each other.
Clueless as ever, Mrs. Briefs greeted, " Oh! Katera! Vejiita! You're both here are you? I'll have to go find another chair! "
" Don't bother, " Katera growled. " I was just leaving. I have no further business here. You, " she shot a look at Trunks, who had been watching the whole exchange with a sort of despair, " get better. "
" Hai! "
Vejiita snorted and sat down.
Mrs. Briefs began fussing.
" Now, honey, are you warm enough? Is this enough food? Is there anything else you'd like? Do you want me to get your Ojiisan to find you some of your old stuffed animals? I think we still have that plushie Gokuusan around somewhere. "
" No, I'm fine, Obaasan. "
[Obaasan => Grandmother:
Ojiisan => Grandfather, not to be confused with Ojisama, which means
prince. It's all in how you say it, ppl! ^^ confusing, neh?]
Katera left the room and stormed down the hallway.
Yes.
Things had changed a lot.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ssshhhhhhhlllllllluuuuuurrrrrrrrrrppp.
" Mm-MM! Sumimasen! Another... um... three orders please! "
The clerk at the ramen shop managed to look both exasperated and amazed before defeat took over and he dragged himself to the back with the intention of fullfilling the... well he'd lost count of how many times that kid had placed an order.
The clerk was just coming through the curtain when...
" Sumimasen! "
Kami no! Now next to the kid there was another. A girl this time, with the same spiky black hair, wearing a gi, and with a hungry look in her eyes.
... And... a tail...
Goten looked over at Kyande and in a loud whisper pointed out, " Kyandechan, your tail is showing. "
Kyande turned red, realizing that she'd forgotten to keep control of it in her hunger. Giggling nervously, she tucked it under the blue fabric of her tunic and sat on the stool.
She looked fairly small. Maybe she'd be a light eater...
" What can I get for you, little lady? " the clerk inquired amiably.
Kyande pointed to the rather large sign behind him. " I'll have one of every kind of those... and a bowl of green tea ice cream, if you have any, please! "
So much for the light appetite.
The clerk hustled off to help the two children eat him out of business.
" Yaa, Kyandechan! " Goten greeted.
" Yaa, Gotenkun! " Kyande mumbled back.
Goten blinked. " Something wrong? "
" Yeah, " Kyande stated in the affirmative, " Icky Dende contacted Kaasan again. Jerk... "
" Mm... " Goten smiled. " Maybe it was good news this time! Maybe Mirai Dendesama just missed Sarrosan! "
" I don't think so... she got all scowly. "
" That's cuz she's used to bad news! " Goten offered helpfully.
" Maybe. " Kyande took the first bowl handed to her with an offhand thanks and began to shovel the noodles in. Suddenly she remembered her manners and belatedly announced, " Itadakimasu! "
[Itadakimasu is said before eating to annouce that you are about to eat. It means something like, 'I am about to partake' It's a polite thing.]
" So what do you want to do after we're done eating? " Goten asked a few minutes later when Kyande's stack of bowls was half the height of his.
Slurp. " I dunno. " Slurp. " Wanna go to the park and play on the merry-go-round? "
" I don't think it's fixed yet. "
" Oh. " Kyande paused to think. " We could... go shopping? "
" Yeah! There's a new Niichan action figure! "
" Hontoo ni? "
Goten nodded the affirmative.
" Sugoi! I want one too! I wrecked my last one! I haven't told Gohansan, I don't think he'd be too happy. "
" How'd you wreck it? " Goten inquired, picking up his newest bowl and slurping down the noodles in record speed.
Kyande giggled and snorted. " I flushed it down the toilet! "
Goten looked appalled at the thought of a Great Saiyaman action figure in the toilet. " What was he doing there? "
" Going for a swim. Duh. "
" You're sick, Kyandechan. "
" Am not! "
" Are too! "
" Am not! "
" Aretooaretooaretoo-oo! " Slurp.
" Shut up Goten. "
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The wind swept across one of the many expanses of Chikyuu that were relatively uninhabited.
Surprisingly, the area around Pauzu Mountain had surprisingly remained untouched by society in all the years since before Gokuu's 'grandfather' Gohan resided there. But had this place not been uninhabited but for a lonely old man back then, we might not have the Son Gokuu we know and love.
Speaking of Son Gokuu, he was sitting on top of the house, crosslegged
and meditating, while his wife Chichi swept the step in
front of said house.
We'll allow a moment to relish in this peace, we get so rare cases like this.
Gokuu opened his eyes with an inquisitive, " Hm? " and looked up.
Chichi looked up as well, at the blue ki signature heading their way.
" Oh! " Chichi exclaimed in absolute glee, " It's Katera! "
Katera halted abruptly in the air before the house. Her now long hair took a moment to catch up with her. Crossing her arms, she glared at Gokuu and stated, " I need to talk to you. "
" Katera! " Rang Chichi's voice sharply from below, " what way is that to greet your family? "
Katera sighed and looked downwards, " Konnichiwa, Chichisan. "
" I suppose that will do. "
Gokuu stood up. " Where? "
" Not here, " said Katera, taking her eyes of Chichi to rest on Gokuu's grim face. He knew it had to be bad if Katera 'needed to talk.'
" Follow me. See you later, Chichi! " Gokuu flew off towards the horizon.
Katera followed, throwing back a belated, " Sayonara! "
¤¤
[Not much happened in this chapter, but we are building! Yay! Next chapter! An amendment to one of the questions at the end of the last chapter; Will Goten and Kyande eat the ramen shop out of business? Who will be attacked next by that mysterious figure? What will Katera tell Gokuu? You know what, Gokuu was dead in version one for this saga. So I'm really winging it here! ~sigh~]
[Written by Inseiko, 2000]
¤
onto the next chapter!