Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Fall of the Mighty ❯ Peace In Dismal Night ( Chapter 36 )

~The Queen of the fic…is taking some responsibility…~

It has been requested that I give a better description of just how many characters there are and with which family they belong and such. So….I shall do that right here. To clear things up... We all know the original characters. Here are their families.

Trunks + Nalia

- Nigel > teenager and cocky little shit…say, about 16

- Nalen > preteen and better behaved than his elder brother…say about 10

- Naga > cute little princess with daddy and grandpa in her pocket…5

Trunks met a fire haired woman who's personality matched that striking color and even Vegeta approves of her, though he rarely speaks anything of the sort. She has little trouble keeping up with her demi-Saiyan children and can be a fearsome for any a true Saiyan when "mommy mode" kicks in, especially with a certain teenager. Nigel, as most boys do, has an ego the size of the C.C. He's what you would expect of a teenage boy who has everything he could ever want and anything that anyone else wants too. He isn't one to work for anything but he'd be more than happy to try and take it if you let him get away with it. Don't let that make up your minds, though. I haven't quite rounded his personality yet. He's cocky and has a chip on his shoulder, but he has yet to do anything more destructive than bully the lesser kids at school. His parents would never let him get away with anything like that. Like most his age, the most important thing to him is a reputation and looking good.

Gohan + Videl-deceased

- Pan > single mother of twins, no sign of father…she is about 28

>>Kale & Kane > mischievous twin boys…age 12 (Pan was 16 when she had them)

- Tong > studious, high scoring grad student just like his dad yet at completes odds, gay…about age 24

- Spice > rebellious, cynical, alcoholic with little respect for anything she sees or has seen…age 18

As you can see, Pan had children rather early and she's certainly not married. That's one thing that Gohan has had to deal with which helped lead to his family's disposition and the health of his own relationship with all his kids. Still, his relationship with Pan seems to have survived quite well. She had to grow up fast and seems to have come out very well in the end and Gohan gives her a lot of credit for that which he doesn't seem to share with his other two children, probably in the hopes that they won't fuck up in the first place.

Tong is doing really well. He's still in college, writing his Thesis no less. He wants to be a teacher and he already has his own apartment. He's been out of the house since he first went away to college. Perhaps, part of the reason that he moved out so quickly was to get away from daddy. His father has a *very* big problem with his lifestyle and how dear Tong seems to bring home a new *male* loser seemingly every month. At least, that's how both Gohan and Spice see it. But, even if Tong had made good choices with his boyfriends, Gohan would still never have approved. Their relationship has become confrontational, bitter, acerbic, and cutting in that area over the years.

Spice has grown up watching all this go on in her family. Seeing how her father has dealt with his problems and his children and seeing what sorts of things her siblings did that led to good and bad ends. She's grown up to be rather angry and confrontational because of how she's seen her brother and father come to near blows over differences of opinions. She's also had her mother and sister's influences to help her gain a calm composure when it comes to problems and solutions and everyday existence. She tends to try and leave home as much as possible, which led her to spend a *lot* of time around her grampa and uncle "Vegy" and the C.C., leading even more to how she was influenced while growing up. With her parents always occupied…she had plenty of time to get into a *lot* of trouble and she even spent some time on court appointed probation for it. (which I mentioned in passing some chapters ago) Now…being a bit of a "veteran" of childhood vandalism and ill motives, she's quite content to sit back and just drink herself happy while she has no true direction or want for one.

Videl was away much of the time handling the expansive family business of the Martial Arts Federation left to her by her father Hercule which left a workaholic Gohan in charge of the household much of the time. Though Videl was away so much, she and Spice and Tong had a much better relationship than Gohan and Spice and Tong. Perhaps *because* she was away so much and didn't truly see what her children were doing or going through.

Goten + Flora-deceased

- Felix > brat and bully, likes to have control, maybe rather Radditz like…about age 14

- Fleaa > shy and quiet, best friends with Naga…age 7

Goten met a beautiful and quiet girl, very shy and loving and purposeful. She was a good balance for his more excitable, random, and energetic personality. He loved her so much that he took to her immediately and settled down with enthusiasm to start a family. She was a very good and grounding influence on Goten. She died giving birth to their daughter, something that might have been avoided…but the doctors refused to let Goten in to see her after the complications set in. Once he found out that she was in dire need, it was too late. He loves his children more than anything and sees his wife in their daughter very much. He may not be the most strict and harsh dad, but he gets along well enough. Perhaps one of the reasons Felix tends so much toward being a little jerk and hooligan is because of his mother's too early death. He was 7 years old when his new little sis came home…without his mommy. Gohan seems to have settled down a bit after his wife's passing. He's more controlled and calm, less reckless.

Goku + Vegeta

- unborn child-deceased

Still a very complicated relationship. Vegeta is haunted by his past. A past he cannot let go of. He is mired in it still, even after so much time has gone by and he seems to be feeling it more and more every day. His way of fighting the past is to separate himself from anything that could ever mean anything to him, because nothing that is pure and precious could ever be his. It would just be tainted and destroyed. This is a truth that Vegeta feels has been proven time and time again. But…there is something deeper as well. Something dark that just can't be fathomed yet. Goku just wants to be happy and the happiness he seeks is in those around him. Vegeta is only a part of that, but he is a very integral part.

Chichi-deceased

Bulma-deceased

Hercule Satan-deceased

The rest of the earthling characters don't really apply except for…..one couple which hasn't been mentioned yet. *smirks*

~It's about damn time!!!~

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Goku felt out for the familiar kis all around and smiled. Almost all his family was together, the same with Vegeta's. The only kis he couldn't feel were those of his mate and his granddaughter Spice. He wondered if they were together again but dismissed the thought.

Vegeta was gone.

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*

*Peace In Dismal Night*

Spice opened the training room door and stepped inside, her bare feet sinking into the semi-soft padding. She looked around slowly, her expression dark. The room was large with mirrors all along one wall so that students could see their progress and the sensei could monitor them all while teaching. Around the perimeter of the room, over half a dozen chairs had been brought in and were set up so that a number of parents could sit and watch their children perform. Spice frowned. That was different, certainly not routine. She dismissed the inconsistency, though, concentrating on the task at hand.

The children were all grouped tightly in clumps and clicks. It was evident to see just which groups contained which children too. Some of the larger boys were in one group while there were a number of very pretty girls in another. Then there were the younger students scattered around, seeming to stay away from the larger boys. And there were quite a few children off by themselves away from everyone, just sitting on the mat. Most all of them were talking, including the adults scattered around the room as well. The noise was monumental.

Spice walked purposefully to the front of the room and dropped her sister's heavy equipment bag. No one even twitched at the loud thud, they just continued doing their own things. Looking around, Spice could feel her headache coming back with a vengeance.

"Class, line up."

There was no response to Spice's command. She could barely hear it herself. She raised her voice a little and tried again.

"Class is beginning, line up!"

Still there was no response. A few heads turned and eyes glanced at her but then they turned back and no one complied with her call. Now she was beginning to get annoyed. She raised her voice yet again.

"Attention, class! It's time to begin! Take your places!"

Again she was ignored, but this time she noticed some of the parents looking at her and smirking or frowning and talking to one another. She could just imagine what they were saying, especially one parent that caught her eye. He was a tall and very muscular man who reminded her, rather unpleasantly, of her grandfather Hercule. Not that grampa Hercule was unpleasant, he was actually rather silly, but because this man had a definite annoying quality to him that she could see right off. It made her blood start to simmer when she heard him clearly over the crowd, belittling her and how a "little girl like her couldn't possibly think she could control any class, much less this one".

Spice walked away from the front of the class decisively. She *wasn't* going to lose her voice *or* her temper trying to gain attention that wasn't going to be given to her. She walked over to a large equipment locker in the corner and unlocked it, looking inside for a moment before finding something and giving a satisfied smirk.

She walked back slowly and stood once again at the head of the classroom, raising up a medium sized, round, flat, brass object above her head. Then, with her other hand, she raised what looked like a small brass hammer and struck the flat brass hard enough to dent the gong. The ensuing metallic ringing was extremely loud and echoed through the enclosed room, catching everyone's attention and placing it squarely where it should be.

Spice glared around the room before lowering her hands and snorting. "Now that that is out of the way… Take your places!"

She grimaced when the children merely spread out a little in their immediate groups and half of the parents didn't even leave the mat, but stayed standing near their children. Taking a deep breath and forcing down a growl, Spice stepped over to one end of the mirrored room. Already the brief pause in noise was over. The murmur of voices was growing again, but Spice wasn't worried about that just yet. This class needed a lesson in manners and order, obviously. What was her sister doing in this dojo?! This was a disgrace!

Spice caught the shoulders of a younger boy, a yellow belt even though he was a good 5 years younger than most of the children in the room, and propelled him forward to a particular spot. "What's your name?" She asked him, but he merely stared at her wide eyed and silent. She shook her head and then turned to the class, raising her voice.

"You stand here. I want four students to stand in line behind him!"

She waited but none of them moved. This time she did growl and then chose four random children herself and also bodily moved them to stand where she wanted. Then she grabbed a sixth student and stood him a few feet to the side of the first boy.

"Here! I want four more students behind him too!" There was no reaction but there were plenty of horrified glares directed at her by children who were now separated from their friends or knew they would be. Spice glared harder at the nearest students. "NOW!"

Finally, *slowly*, the class began to right itself. Though the children still talked to one another over her. Spice found herself having to shoo most of the parents away and they glared at her too, moving only grudgingly. That tall, muscular dude, crossed his arms and looked down at her superiorly before turning and striding slowly away. As if to show her that he was *choosing* to obey, not obeying.

Spice stood up at the front of the class again, a sour look on her face. This sucked! This was horrible! This was *not* the way you taught martial arts! There was no order here, there was no direction and there was no respect or organization whatsoever for the craft or for the sensei. How the hell did anyone get taught around here? This was shameful…and, Spice thought ruefully, this assertion coming from *her* was pretty bad. She herself had certainly never been the most respectful or obedient or even orderly student, but this was ridiculous.

"Look around you." She called sharply over the class. "Remember your places. This will be your assigned line up every class. When the sensei calls class to order, you *will* take this formation!"

Some of the girls were still talking and Spice walked slowly over to them. She didn't even give a warning, she just took one of the girls by the arm and moved her to the opposite end of the room. "You take his spot. You, boy, you go and take her old spot. These are your new spots for the rest of the year."

Then she raised her voice again. "There will be NO talking in my classroom! I *will* deal with it when it happens!" She glared around the room and was met by wide eyes and glaring ones. It really didn't matter. These kids would just have to learn to deal. Spice sighed and put her hands behind her back. She still had the shakes and, now that she was mad, it was worse. She wasn't going to let these kids see it, they'd mistake it for nervousness or something and with a class this wild, she was going to have to really stomp each and every one of them into submission. She almost groaned. A thought came to mind that her sister had done this on purpose.

"Now! How far have you progressed in this class?"

This query was met by only silence and Spice looked around in annoyance. "Have you learned the Seven Forms?"

Still there was only silence and a few of the kids began to look bored and annoyed and began to talk. Two boys walked away from their places to go and stand next to their friends. Spice snarled.

"BACK TO YOUR PLACES! NO TALKING!" The kids only slowly complied. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Will somebody come up and show me how far you've progressed?" Still nothing.

Spice stood there a moment, trying to decide how to proceed and finally rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. "Fine! Alright then… All of you! Take the First Position!" Only a handful of the students moved and they were very clumsy.

Spice stared at the class in dismay and then her shoulders slumped slightly. She really was in no condition for this kind of aggravation. She could barely keep her temper in check under *normal* circumstances and now… She did her best to push down her frustration, breathe normally, and will away the nervous twitch that was trying to come back again. She'd been so relaxed after spending time with Taigar. Even with the withdrawal she was going through. Thinking of him still left her with a strange tingling sensation. Now she could feel that relaxation draining away to be replaced by nasty tension again.

"Alright then…" She turned to the mirror. "Since no one seems to know why they are here, where they are, or even what their names are…" She eyed them dryly through the mirror. "We're going to start from the beginning. This is the First Form…"

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These kids were driving her nuts. Every two minutes she had to stop the class to deal with one thing or another and they hardly listened to her at all and didn't take any of her threats seriously. It was a pain and a headache and she just wanted to pound some of them, but finally she managed to get things under a *semblance* of control.

Then a decidedly male voice broke through her lecture and demonstration.

"What is this?! Have you *ever* taught a class before? My boy is much too advanced for this weak, baby crap! I pay for this class so he can learn something. I might as well teach him myself!"

Spice stopped in her lesson and turned to the muscular man who was now striding toward her, a mean sneer on his face. She leveled a flat eye on him, non-plussed but doing her best to keep a handle on her already stretched temper.

"No. This happens to be my first class. Why *don't* you teach him yourself if you're so sure you can do better?" She stated flatly, barely managing to keep the snap from her voice.

He crossed his arms, looking haughty and self important. "I don't have the time. That's what this dojo is for. But for a Federation Dojo, I think it sucks. Obviously none of you know what you are doing. *I* could teach this better."

That burned. Spice took a deep breath and squared her shoulders, looking away over her class. "Is that so…" Her voice sounded distracted, but inside she seethed at the impudence of this fucking idiot. How dare he say that about her mom's dojo! Her sister's dojo! Never mind that she had been thinking the same thing earlier. How dare he!! She turned back to him and a sudden, wide, sweet smile appeared on her lips.

"You don't have time to teach your son but you can sit here and watch me do it?" She asked innocently, but continued on before he could respond to the question. "Well…I *am* new here. I guess I don't know how things normally go. Gosh. It *is* kinda hard. The kids won't even listen to me. What do *you* think? Maybe *you* could help me give them a demonstration that'll help get their attention. It could show them just how wonderful and worthy martial arts really are. I'm sure that's all they *really* need." She looked up at him with wide, naive eyes while he thought about it, taking in his smirk as he looked down at her with rank superiority.

"I wouldn't want to hurt you, little girl. No offense, but you couldn't handle me even if I went easy on you." His ugly smile showed that he really didn't care if he hurt her and he really believed that he could. "Why don't you just go sit down and watch. I can handle it from here for you."

Spice shook her head and shrugged, looking insecure and stuttering, but still unmoving. "I…I don't know…I don't think I should. You know, it's *my* class. Why don't we just try it and see? If you're as good as you say, then you would never hurt me, right?" She looked up, face tender with trust and gullibility.

The guy puffed and preened and smirked smugly. "Yeah. Sure. Why not. I'll *try* and hold back. But I warned you."

Spice smirked crookedly, one long canine glinting under the florescent lights. "Oh, I'll be fine."

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Out in the Federation Dojo's waiting room, about five parents suddenly jumped in their seats and stared at the wall where a number of trophies had fallen from a shelf. They all watched the wall in curious surprise before querying one another as to what that loud bang might have been. An elderly grandmother blinked at the trophies on the ground and said, "Oh dear…I hope no one is hurt…"

Then the door banged open and Spice stepped through lugging something bulky and heavy out of the room. She dragged the cocky father over and dropped him onto an empty sofa, grumbling and cussing under her breath, not even acknowledging any of the parents who stared at her. The asshole hadn't been even half as good as her grampa Hercule had been and he dared to mock her family?! She'd enjoyed teaching the jerk a lesson. The shock on his face as she beat him down had been quite satisfying but now, with some fresh adrenaline in her system, it was much harder to keep from letting her anger get the better of her. It was always that way. Get a little worked up…and then you usually got a *lot* worked up.

Now, that she *was* worked up, she didn't really care anymore and that was dangerous too. She stomped back into the classroom, eyes flashing and impaling the parents who were still sitting inside with her gaze. Voice low and dangerous, she all but hissed at them. "I will have *no more* interruptions in my class! All of you! OUT!! You will wait outside with all the rest! Just like you are *supposed* to!"

To her slight satisfaction, they all complied quickly. As the last parent stepped over the threshold, Spice slammed the door shut with a final bang. Turning and eyeing the wide eyed and silent class resolutely, she proceeded to fucking teach her class whether it liked it or not!!

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Gohan stepped through the kitchen door, wiping his hands on a dishtowel and silently contemplating a many many things at once. Too many things to keep straight. He walked over to where his grandkids and nephew and brother were playing and smiled as he watched them squabble like children. It had been a while since there had been any heartfelt laughter in this house. It sounded good. Only after a few moments did Gohan realize that someone was missing. He looked around, but still didn't see Tong anywhere. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see his eldest daughters clear, honest blue eyes. She smiled slightly as if to say `It's alright, dad.'

"Tong went out a few minutes ago. A friend of his came to pick him up."

Thoughts flitted across Gohan's face with an obviousness that made Pan's smile flicker and wink out of existence, replaced by carefully blanked irritation. She watched as Gohan's brow started to crease angrily. "He should know better…he…tomorrow…he did this when tomorrow is…"

Pan squeezed her father's shoulder to get his attention again, speaking with a calm, flat voice. "Dad. Tomorrow is going to be a stressful day for all of us. We all need to relax tonight if we're going to be able to handle the funeral. Him…and you. Let it be tonight, dad. Let's just have a nice evening tonight, dad."

Gohan stayed stiff for a moment, then softened and finally slumped with a sigh. "Yeah. You're right, sweetheart. I'm sorry." He put his arm around her shoulders and turned to where the rest of their family were happily teasing one another. "Let's go play for a while."

Pan smiled again. "Yeah, dad. It's been way too long."

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Tong laughed happily as they walked side by side through the empty mall, glancing at the darkened storefronts, on their way from the movie theatre. "I'm kinda surprised actually. I didn't think it would be that good but it was really funny!"

Taigar smiled down at him with softly amused curiosity, his deep, accented voice like smooth velvet on the air. "But you chose the movie, Tong. Did you not want to see it?"

Tong shrugged, looking over at another storefront to avoid the taller man's gaze. "I just…wanted to get out and this was the easiest excuse I could think of. I did want to see it… I dunno…I'm just in a mood, I guess. Don't' mind me. I'm sorry."

He could see Taigar's reflection in the glass, but even so, it surprised him when he felt the other put an arm around his shoulders and draw him close. Tong looked up into the blond's kind smile and blushed.

"No, U'char. You never need apologize to me. I enjoy seeing you. You worry too much. Allow me to worry for you." Taigar squeezed his shoulders warmly before guiding them to walk once more.

Tong chuckled softly and shook his head, allowing himself to be led. "I've been out with you three times and, from what I've seen, you don't worry about anything."

Taigar nodded and laughed musically. "That is the point. Leave the worrying to me and we shall both be content. Das, U'char?"

Tong's brows dipped and he glanced up curiously. "What is that? That…oooshar…thing you keep saying?"

Taigar looked wistfully down, his diamond blue eyes twinkling. "It is a…term of endearment…in the tongue of the old-country. If you don't like it, I will stop. It is hard to translate. It means many things…like…special…like being dear to one…irreplaceable and singular." The last was said with just a hint of that radiant smile. He leaned to look at Tong questioningly. "Am I too forward? I do not wish you to think I am too familiar. Forgive me if I do be. But I tell the truth when I say that I like you very much, dear Tong."

The young Son looked dubious at first but as Taigar continued talking, he turned shy. His smile crept back onto his delicate lips and he blushed deeper. "No, Taigar. I kind of like it. I don't mind. I like you too." He leaned into the larger man's embrace and slipped his own arm around Taigar's impressively slim waist. "I don't think I mind at all."

They walked on in silence for a short while before the blond spoke up again and Tong smiled at the strong, slick accent. "It is becoming late. Shall I take you home now, U'char?"

Tong, still leaning into his strong, warm embrace, paused, suddenly torn. He looked downcast. A well known internal struggle was making its way through him. He'd promised himself… He had promised himself that things would change. But…Taigar was unlike anyone he'd ever known up till know. He was polite and strong and chivalrous. He was noble and kind. He was sexy and powerful in a way Tong hadn't encountered before. He was soft spoken and fun and made Tong's spirits soar just by being around him. And his smile…his smile had a way of melting one's very soul. And anyway…it *was* different. Tong had never *thought* about it before. Never actually pondered what might happen or what he wanted. He'd always just jumped, never looking to see how far down the drop was. This was different. It was. He hadn't jumped in. He'd waited and all he'd found was that Taigar really was so wonderful. So…there was no problem, right? He had known what Taigar was like from the first moment he met him, when the tall blond had stopped Brian in the coffee shop. He'd even taken his time to play it safe. Nothing had changed. Taigar was even better now than before and Tong was drawn to him inexorably. This was good. Tong wanted this. It would be different. He knew it would.

Tong looked up with half lidded, unsure eyes and a light blush on his cheeks. "Would you…stay for a little while?"

Taigar smiled and his warmth seemed to grow thicker as he placed a soft, chaste kiss on Tong's brow. "I would like that, zai U'char."

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Two figures stumbled in the dark, chuckling because, in their fumbling, that last step seemed to rise just a little higher while they were distracted.

Tong gasped when Taigar veritably lifted him clear of falling, then the young Son was leaning with a thump against the front door of his apartment. He laughed, just resting against the painted wood, staring up at his taller companion and the silver halo the moon cast in his striking white hair. Taigar's hands rested at the base of Tong's ribs, gently stroking lazy circles that made the demi shiver, ticklish but incredibly arousing.

There was a click as he turned his key in the door and then Tong paused again. Should he really…really do this again? Was his sister really right? Those hurtful things she said came back to him. ~"…at least he doesn't latch onto every slime ball that crosses his path."~ No. Taigar was definitely no slime ball. Definitely not. No, this was right. It was soooo right. He turned the knob and they nearly fell across the threshold.

Taigar caught Tong's slim waist and drew him close, straightening slowly with the young Son pressed against him. Tong realized that he was staring up at the blond's handsome face only inches from his own, his hands tense but lightly resting on Taigar's broad, strong shoulders. Tong realized that he had no fear of falling. Taigar's arms were firm and steady. He wouldn't let him fall. What held Tong hypnotized was the intensity of those crystalline blue eyes that stared right back at him. He could drown in those eyes. He wanted to. They were so perfect. He didn't know how long they stayed like that, but just as Tong had gained the nerve to reach up for those perfect lips only inches away… He was suddenly on his feet once again. He blushed a deep pink and stepped away slowly.

"Um…I'll… Would you like some coffee? I can make some…" He turned and entered his small kitchen which branched off of the fair sized living room. It wasn't a large apartment, only one bedroom, but it was a high quality residence in a quant gated community. Tong always prided himself on having been able to find such a nice place that wasn't too expensive for his meager school office wages.

In the kitchen, he'd just opened the cupboard when the tap of Taigar's large, black boots approached behind him and large hands slid down his back and around his sides to settle at the hollows of his hips. It was a firm grip that made the smaller man's breath catch. Taigar's heat settled against him and Tong closed his eyes, leaning back into it with a smile. When he opened his eyes, he saw Taigar watching him with those smoldering eyes, reflected in the far wall that was mirrored with reflective tiles made to mock a stylish marble surface. Then the reflection smiled and, Kami!, it set Tong's insides burning. Then that smile slipped downwards and disappeared against his throat where teeth and tongue began to tease him.

Taigar's deep murmur rumbled the base of Tong's neck making him shudder and a shiver sped down his spine, weakening his knees. "I require nothing else, U'char. Just you."

The young Son sighed breathily as the restraining elastic was pulled free of his long, silky, ebon hair, allowing it to spill around his shoulders. "Yes."

Then hot lips caught his own with firm demand and Tong couldn't hold back a moan of pleasure.

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All was dark and silent except for one line of florescent tubing that streaked the ceiling of a hallway toward the back of the dojo and the raspy, lone sound of straw on tile. In the darkness, Spice moved slowly and erratically, pulling a broom lazily across the floor over and over again. She wasn't doing much good. The tiles seemed just as littered and dirty as before she'd picked up the tool, but she continued all the same until, at extreme length, she'd gathered a small pile of debris. Scooping the leavings into a dustpan, she dumped it into a nearby trashcan, nearly upending the container in the process. She stood there dumbly, dustpan hanging limply in her right hand, broom in the other, and just watched the trashcan lean and wobble until if finally stilled, still upright. With half lidded eyes, she looked down at the dustpan in her hands and seemed to think a moment…then dropped that in the trash too and turned to shuffle away, dragging the broom with her.

Empty and hollow and numb.

That's how she felt.

A headache throbbed between her temples, shattering her thoughts into nonsensical shards. She didn't put a hand to her brow, though. If she did that, she might be too tempted to crush her own skull. All was quiet at least. It was like a breath of fresh relief after the horror of that evening. Evil, nasty children! She absolutely hated children. If she'd ever doubted that before, she was positive of it now. All the little bastards deserved to die and she swore to never have one of her own. If she had the presence of mind at that very instant, she would thank Kami and all the lucky stars in the sky that she hadn't been a "normal" child with a "normal" life. She might have ended up like some of *these* little monsters. But all she could truly concentrate on was how terrible she felt and how much she hated *everything*.

Silently, she stalked room to room through the dojo, her bare feet padding softly on tile and whispering over carpet. After a few minutes she finished her circuit and returned to the main waiting room, her face still frozen in a hard scowl, and just stood there for a few seconds. As if just realizing she still held the broom, she glared down at it and flung away crankily before sinking heavily into a padded chair. Tucking her legs up under her, she curled up on the large chair, easing into a tight, protected ball with a sigh. Grudgingly she admitted to herself that it hadn't been *THAT* bad. She'd handled it. That meant something. But at the moment, she was so unreasonably angry that it didn't make much of a difference and it felt good to rant and rave about something, anything, even if it was in the quiet of her pounding, headache ridden mind. On top of it all, she knew, she *knew* that it would all go away if she could just get some sleep. Just some *sleeeeeeeeeeeeeppp*!!!

She moaned against the cushion of the chair she huddled in and squeezed further into the corner of it, her tail wrapped tightly around her thigh and twitching unhappily. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her mind in order to will away the terrible migraine attacking her brain. After many long minutes, that jet black tail and tense scowl both slowly loosened and fell slack, before slipping away.

Time ticked by like a cripple, hobbling on two rounded, wooden legs. That is to say, its march was slow and clumsy with no regard to whatever sat in its path. Not twenty minutes passed when the broomstick the grouchy girl had tossed finally slipped from its precarious perch on the very tip of one far sofa. In the resounding crash, Spice's long due respite exploded like so much powdered glass. Before she even realized she had been asleep, she was braced against the wall next to her overturned chair. It seemed like forever before she managed to regain her breath enough to give a pained, dry sob and then limp away. She blinked out of existence after four steps.

In the C.C. living room, she sprawled across the sofa, but respite refused to return again. It seemed to her that hours passed while she lay there and stared at the threads of material beneath her fingers. Finally she stood, uttering a high, frustrated whine, and disappeared again. She never even noticed young Nigel leaning on the doorframe to the hallway with a very sour and snarky expression on his face. He seemed to be about to move from the doorway into the room, but then she was gone and his expression grew even darker before he too disappeared back down the hallway. Moving gingerly as if he were rather sore and beat up.

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He lay in the cold dark, staring up at a bright starry sky. The moon had not risen yet, leaving the landscape around him riddled with pitch shadow that challenged even his sight. But he wasn't looking at anything, not even the sky that filled his vision. He was thinking. Thinking long and hard.

He couldn't go back. Not when…when… Kami! He was so confused! He hated confusion!! He never allowed confusion to impair his senses, yet here he was now. He had caused something… Something had changed… Something… Something was wrong… And the most disturbing thing was that…he didn't know what. Something was wrong. Something new and old all at once. He'd been so in control. He refused to think back on certain suicidal depressions of late that would refute that assertion. He was in complete control. Complete control!

But…

Something was wrong…with him. He could feel it at the farthest edge of his consciousness. Just out of reach and sight. Right where he could lose it if he stopped concentrating…and right where he could not, for the life of him, identify it whatsoever.

He couldn't go back. Not now.

He lay there, staring up at the heavens and searching for the elusive answer that he *knew* was right there! It was right in front of him…he just couldn't see it. He tried to count backwards to try and pinpoint just when it had surfaced. He couldn't. It had been too subtle as it infiltrated his mind, his thoughts, his dreams. But now…it had made itself known to him. Just a tiny spark… A tiny spark that, during his race to get away from Kakarott, had nearly spurred him over the edge. But he'd regained control at the last moment and had crushed his energy to nonexistence and stopped. Just stopped. His harsh breath slowly coming to a raspy stop as he realized… Even now, he didn't know just what he realized…but he knew that it was something dangerous. Something terrible hunched at the edge of his mind and soul, just waiting for him to weaken to the point where it could pounce and devour him.

That spark…even now his grasp of it was slipping away from him, leaving only a tickling memory of strangeness. He struggled to hold onto it, to keep it somewhere safe where he could ponder it, but inexorably, it faded into vapor and drifted away. He knew that there had been *something*… Something wrong… Something…strange… Wasn't there? Yes. There was! Finally he gave up, allowing exhaustion to steal away his consciousness into blessed darkness.

But the dark wasn't empty.