Kakara Makes A Friend
Staring down at the bean, you are enveloped by indecision.
Your first thought is to take it --
obviously. It's a Senzu Bean that he's just giving to you, why would you not?
Then your mind turns to Jaffur, only just disappearing into House Vegeta's apartments, and you wonder whether you shouldn't give it to him instead, somehow. He's in a bad way -- in fact, if you think about it, he's ended just about every day like this.
You shudder to think what Lord Vegeta's
preferred training methods would look like.
That said, if you can tell anything about Jaffur, it's that he has a lot of pride. He nearly transformed today just having it pointed out that you nearly got there ahead of him, and you can still remember how creepily intense he got about trying to spar with you. He'd probably yell at you if you just gave it to him. Maybe you could spar with him over it? Maybe you could give him half and
then spar for the other half? Of course, you'd probably need it after pulling that...maybe Instant Transmission would help? Maybe you could slip it to him with that! Or maybe he'd beat you anyway...and maybe all of this would be pointless and Lord Vegeta would put the injuries right back after you both were done.
In the end you shake your head and reach out, taking the bean. You're not sure what to do, but you at least know that you can get a Senzu bean out of this. Maybe you'll hand it over later.
Temporary Trait: Troubled. Extremely close voting and heated debate means Kakara is strongly in favor of giving Jaffur a bean somehow, but isn't sure how. Future choices regarding this will be weighted. Trait to be removed upon resolution. (Giving him a bean somehow was actually the majority vote, you just couldn't agree on how)
"Thank you!" you say, smiling.
"Sure!" he says, grinning back. "I mean, your Dad seems nicer than Uncle Vegeta, so I guess it won't be important for you, but I thought it would be handy."
"I think so," you say. "Um...that's pretty generous of you, really. Wanna stay for dinner? We've got plenty of food."
Both of your stomachs rumble at the mention of eating, and he perks up. "Really? Yeah I would-" He catches himself in the middle of that and does another bow. "I mean, yes, Scion Goku. Thank you for your generosity."
"Hey, relax," you say, smiling. "We don't do that stuff in Clan Goku. C'mon, let me ask my Dad!" You zip through the air towards your Dad, excitement welling up inside you. You
don't interact with kids your age. They all hate you. This is really new, and really nice. "Dad!" you say, zipping around him. "Dad? Dad? Dad? Dad? Dad? Da-?"
He sighs, reaches out, and snags you out of the air. "Yes, Kakara?" he asks, holding you at arms length by the back of your gi. "What is it?"
"Can Betarel stay for dinner?" you ask. "He gave me a Senzu, and I figured it would be nice to have him over."
"Betarel...Senzu, is it?" asks Dad, looking over at your friend.
You follow his gaze and blink, seeing a man that must be Betarel's dad standing there as well. "Yes," he says, a hand on his son's shoulder. "A pleasure, Lord Goku." He inclines his head.
"Head Raditz," says your Dad, returning the nod. "Very generous of your son, to give away a Senzu bean."
"Betarel is kind," says Raditz. "I expect this from him, and allow it. He may stay, if he's welcome."
Your Dad thinks a moment before nodding. "He may." He releases you, and you and Betarel both cheer and race inside, settling into the time-honored tradition of trying to steal some food as your Mom makes it.
* * *
You learn a few things over the next few hours. First, Betarel
is a year younger than you. You were right! Second, he's probably the most Saiyan child you've ever met. If he were from House Vegeta he'd probably be Scion. His hair doesn't even grow! Plus it looks sharp enough to hurt somebody.
Third, he
eats like a Saiyan.
"This is delicious!" he says, interrupting the usual hungry silence of a Saiyan dinner table at the top of his lungs.
"I'm glad you like it," says Mom, a tart note in her voice. "Seeing as you stole half of it before it was done."
"We were hungry!" you say, giggling.
* * *
Forth, he's actually really strong. Nine million units, you'd guess. Well, if you had to guess it would be because Dad was quizzing you or showing you off again, so you'd guess nine million, one hundred and two thousand, four hundred eighty-nine.
"Can't catch me!" you say, sing-song as you zip through the air.
"Only 'cause you're stronger!" he says, chasing after you in a streak of blue.
In response, you flip upside down and stick your tongue out at him.
He narrows his eyes, and then screws his face up and
strains, putting on a burst of speed well beyond what he should be capable of. Your eyes widen as he comes on like a freight train, and you place two fingers on your forehead.
vip
"Hey!" He whips around, scowling at you. "No fair!"
You giggle, grinning. "Ha ha! Too slow!"
He growls and shoots back off after you.
Fifth and finally...you like him. He's a friend.
And that is a very new and strange thing to you.
* * *
The two of you sit on the edge of the pit that comprises the Training Hall -- just barely within the concealment charms warding it from the outside world.
"Is Lord Vegeta really your Uncle?" you ask, feet swinging. "I know my Dad calls anybody in the Clan 'cousin.'"
"He is," says Betarel. "My Dad was friends with Lord Vegeta when they were kids, and my Mom is his sister."
You hum. "Why is he like that? Lord Vegeta, I mean."
He shrugs. "I dunno. Dad says he wasn't always like that, and I sort of remember that. I don't know what changed. Jaffur's never really been the same since it started to get different."
You look over at House Vegeta's apartments, with your eyes and your ki sense. Jaffur's over there, but his power level is low. He's either hurt or napping -- maybe both. You don't see him moving around at all, though. "I guess I'd be different, too," you say.
He shrugs, curling up on himself. "I guess."
"Betarel!"
You both look down as Raditz's voice echoes up to you.
"Come on down," he says. "It's near bedtime."
"You too, Kakara," says your Father, standing a little way away from the Senzu Head.
The two of you look at each other and groan. "Fine!" you say in unison before pushing off the edge of the pit and catching yourselves on ki. You both drift down in silence and go to your Dads.
"See you tomorrow, Betarel!" you say, waving.
"Bye!" he says, waving back.
Dad's hand settles onto your back, between your shoulder blades. "Let's get you to bed, kiddo."
"Daaaaaad..."
"C'mon. It'll be a hard day tomorrow."
You sigh. "Yeah, just like all the others."
He rolls his eyes, giving you a little shove to get you moving. "On you go, little brat." His tone takes any sting out of his words. "Tomorrow is a big day. The day you transform."
"You say that
every night!"
"It'll be true one of these times."
"Dad!"
* * *
That night, you toss and turn in bed. The reason is, to anybody in the Hall, obvious.
Jaffur is training.
That alone isn't, strictly speaking, unusual. He's been doing this every night, staying up and working himself to the limit in an effort to push himself past it. You've actually gotten used to it.
But this time is different, because he's never been hurt this bad, and he still hasn't been healed. He's out there, pushing himself as hard as he can, with one broken arm and a power level that's just barely flickering on the edge of five million. It feels like he's dying out there. You feel kind of sick just feeling it. You can your parents arguing with each other in muffled voices about it. You can hear the hushed whispers from everywhere within the Training Hall as the Scion of House Vegeta nearly kills himself training.
Slowly, those whispers begin to die off as people accept that there's nothing they can do, and go to sleep. Eventually, nobody is awake.
Except you, and Jaffur.
* * *
What do you do?
[ ] Go out and investigate
[ ] Go out and watch
[ ] Go back to sleep
Item Acquired!
Senzu Bean: The most valuable item a Saiyan can own, just one of these beans heals all injuries and restores one's energy to full power.
Trait Acquired!
Socializer: You don't have friends, but you like people, and it's hurt you deeply to be able to talk to so few of them. But when you get the chance, you tend to seek out others. Gain a slight bonus to all Communication checks.
