Chapter 9:
Tommarow
"And there they were. .
....paired up against three Namek kids,. . .
Words broke the pursed lips of the middle one, as it spat on the floor . .
'Well well well,. . . look what the boss brought in. . .' ."
Piccolo was the first to speak, barley able to make even a sqeak.
"Who are you?. . W-where are we?"
The namek children on the sides began to laugh, as the one in the middle said nothing.
"HAHAHA! WHAT A WUSS!" Said the namek children almost in unison. They repeted his words in a frivolus tone as they mocked and pointed at him.
"Hey guys," said the one in the middle, as he snickered, "Where. . . AAAARRRRREEEE we? HAHAHA!"
They practically fell over laughing.
Piccolo looked at them with eyes of a hawk. . never blinking. . never moving. . staying in one fixed position. . for he found no humor in thier game,. . .
"Just kiddin' kid," said the middle namek. "WE are NEF trainee's, and YOU are in your new room. We're gettin' shipped off to the north side."
The Namek on the side blurted out, "Finally we can get out of this hell hole!"
Hime perked up. "Hell. . hole?. . "
The namek to the left declared, "Yeah! You train like a DOG for 6 months, then you get shipped off to fight!"
They began to walk to the door.
"Don't worry kids. . the worst thing that could happen is that you have to get stuck in a goofy outfit like this. . These weights are so heavy, they kill your shoulder nerves. . . "
Piccolo and Hime looked at each other in unison.
"Kill. . your nerves?"
The namek in the middle flashed them a thumbs up.
"Yeah. . but We can't talk though . . we're going. . Just stay here till Apollo comes in. ."
"Oh, and something else," said the left namek, "Your training weights are on the bunkers. . have them on before. . . well. . just put them on now.. . and don't goof off,. . er' the boss will kill ya',"
The nameks chuckled as the slammed out of the room.
And before Piccolo could gasp a word, they were left with nothing but training weights and the echo of the large brass door.
Piccolo sat on the bed.
"Well,. ." he said, scratching the back of his head. "I . . guess this is where we stay for now. . "
Himegami sighed. "Yeah. . for now. . . . "
Piccolo smiled faintly. "Kinda weird what happens in a weeks worth of time, huh? I meet a new friend, and start off a new life. "
Himegami smiled. "Yeah. . .a new friend. . . "
Piccolo rummaged through his gi, pulling out the statue and red book.
"You brought those with you?" said Himegami.
Piccolo nodded. "Id rather die than leave them behind. Its. . her. . . "
A tear glided down his cheek as he brushed it away.
"Are you alright, Piccolo?" said Himegami, sitting down next to him on the bunker.
His face slowly began to flood with tears. .
"I don't know. . how to thank you. . . " said Piccolo, placing his hand gently on top of Himegami's. "I don't know how to repay you. . before this. . . I had no where to turn but religion. . in. .Hi shojo. . The fire maiden. . "
Himegami smiled. "You don't need to repay me. . You being my friend is good enough, until I find my brother. . " He smiled.
"Your lucky.. . I can't remember anything. . . except. . little flashing moments of me. . and they seem so distant, I don't even know if they are fantasy or not. .
I can't remember who my father was. . . I can't remember who my mom was, if I even had any,. . I don't even know if I had siblings. . My life has been so cold. . so meaningless, . . so pointless and futile. . . like a lost soul, trying to find its way to Yama-sama."
Himegami smiled. "Well,. . do you have any names you could go by? Any friends that you could get it from?"
Piccolo shook his head. "I don't have anything to go by. . .
................
. . . . . .except. . . . . "
Himegami perked up. "Except what?" she said.
"Well," Piccolo blurted out, rolling the leg of his gi to his mid-thigh, "I always had this weird little scar, and I never really knew what it was for.
. . .A birthmark of some sort. . .
. . . . .
. . . Himegami?. . . . Hello?. . "
He looked up at Himegami and became startled.
Her eyes had glazed over, as if she was just becoming sober. She was so still, it was if she was turned off, like a wooden soilder dies down,. .
He took her shouders. "Are, . . you okay?. . . Say something. . "
She slowly turned her head. And taking off her shoe, reveiled the exact same scar on her ankle.
Piccolo's gasp was so slow, like someone who was out of breath.
"You?. . .It's. . You? Ani?. . " said Himegami, staring into the black of Piccolos eyes.
"You were the one. . I seeking?. . Your,. . my. . . imoto?. . My sister?. . " said Piccolo, taking his hands slowly up to her face, and holding the position,. . like he was in even more disbelief.
A green tear swelled up in Himegami's eye.
"Ani. .
. . . I. . found. . . . you. . ."
Himegami wrapped her hands around him.
They were still for so long. . . embracing each other in complete silence. . . The only thing that they cared about were each other at that moment. They had found the most important thing. . . thier family. . . and tommarow,. . they would be introduced to the boss. . and Apollo. . .
. . not as strangers. . .
. . not as homeless people,. . deformies,. . or even theifs.. .
. . They would be introduced as completely new people,. .
. . for from now on,. .
. . they were introduced as a whole,. . as friends. . .
. . as family.