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Description
Ch. 13: An Unlikely Truce

Tsuru had been in neater junkyards than this. But then Baba was probably too busy goggling at her crystal ball to notice the clutter she lived in. Mounds of books lay in the open, turning the room into a miniature labyrinth.

Of course, Annin took no note of their surroundings. She knocked crisply on Baba’s door.

“Yes. Yes. Come in.” A voiced piped up.

They entered into a study of sorts. More books and papers lay strewn about. Chintz chairs were mixed with hardbacks and beanbags. In the middle of the hurricane sat the wizen Baba, with her crystal ball before her as always. She got up from her place and greeted them.

“Annin, always a pleasure to see you dear,” she smiled. Then her eye caught sight of Tsuru. “And here is Wuu himself. My, you look strapping as always. You always were quite hand-“

“I go by Tsuru now thank you,” he interrupted uncomfortably.

The witch gazed at him a moment and nodded solemnly. It was business trip after all. Still, she couldn’t recall the last time anyone stopped by for companionship alone. Not even her useless brother Roshi.

She turned back to Annin and cocked a brow. “Honestly, dearie, you shouldn’t trust words from dying lips as a reliable source.”

Tsuru frowned. “What?”

“You see Wuu, the souls of those murdered tend to roam outside of Other World if they have no one to avenge them. Annin knows that they could not speak so she went to Earth to find the killer herself. She tracked him by the path of destruction left in his wake and found among his victims a young child on the verge of death. Bringing her ear to his lips, she managed to make out the words “Tsurusennin” and “Dragon ball.”

He glared at the stern-faced goddess. “And so you assumed it was me.”

“Well, who else could it be? The boy came from the leper colony. Upa’s people were warned by Korin about you after your brother’s visit.”

“She that makes me the primary suspect?”

Baba wedged her way between them. “Now, look. Wouldn’t you rather find out who is really to blame instead? Make up your minds already. My crystal ball needs recharging every six hours.”

Still fixing dark gazes at the other, they followed Baba over to the massive orb perched on a solid gold serpentine stand. Swirling gray clouds churned within its depths. With the wave of her hand, they parted as an image came into focus.

Yet another village, yet again no survivors. Tsuru shuddered, remembering. The memory etched too deep in his soul to be forgotten. A suppressed a cry.

Annin gave him a puzzled look before returning her attention to the orb, which panned over the town. Rows and rows of dead. The field littered with them. The stream ran red. She bit her lip as she recalled the souls that haunted the threshold of her temple. Their eyes filled with sorrow and anguish. She vowed to avenge them no matter what.

Amid the sea of bodies stood a lone figure clad in blue oriental robes. A long white-gray mane trailed down his back. The face seemed ancient yet ageless, with high cheekbones and forehead. Steely gray eyes gaze at the fallen with indifference.

Tsuru gasped.

The witch watched him. “Friend of yours, Wuu? But of course, he still harbors that grudge against you.”

Annin looked up in interest. “Who is he?”

The Crane Master’s face became unreadable. Only a slight twitch in his jaw betrayed his calm countenance. “He is Ryuusennin, the Dragon Master, my former master.”

“It was many years ago that I joined him after the fall of King Piccolo. Once Roshi and I parted ways, I searched for another school that would bring out my full potential. One that would not deceive me with the rubbish Mutaito taught. I found the Dragon School was more than sufficient.”

“At first, I could barely survive my first year. The training left my body racked with pain each night that I thought it a miracle I could face another day. I pushed myself however, determined not to lag behind. My efforts paid off. Ryuu noticed and selected me to as one of the members of his inner circle.”

“I remember the torture I went through in the advance training. The life from me was almost drained from constant use of forbidden attacks. At first, I thought nothing of why I had been chosen. Decision weren’t questioned, after all. Ryuu came and went, with no word of his whereabouts.”

“Then one night he allowed me and the other privileged boys to come on one of his midnight ventures. Like the other students, I too was excited at the possibility that our master would teach us an ultimate technique. I was gravely mistaken.”

“I remember him commenting that it was good that it was a cloudy night, that we had stealth on our side. We hid along the growth surrounding a village. Then as the moon became shrouded by another bank of mist, we struck. The town erupted like an angry swarm. I made my first kill, a man who had offended our client by swindling him. I stepped over his corpse and his blood stained rug and entered the courtyard by the side door.”

“In the garden, I came across Ryuu, who had cornered a young servant girl and made suggestive advances toward her. She didn’t seem frightened, but rather apprehensive. It didn’t appear that she was aware of his presence. I realized however that she was blind. I became appalled at Ryuusennins’s repulsive appetite, and turned away, running from the scene. The master must have spotted me, for the very next morning he accosted me on the stair landing. ‘Listen, my boy. As assassins, we get the job done, killing those who wronged our clients. But we are also entitled to personal satisfaction. Spoils of war, as they say.’

“How I detested his choice of words. ‘Spoils of war?’ I replied. ‘Money and weapons taken as keepsakes I could understand. At least they’re objects.’ ”

“He scowled at me and asked me what difference did it make with women or any townspeople? We dropped the matter for a week. But I knew a plan was forming in Ryuu’s mind. It was only a matter of time. The chance came when we made another night sojourn to kill off a client’s rival gang. It was a fiasco. One of the Dragon students alerted the lot by tripping over a motorbike. The men took to the road, firing at us with handguns. One hurled a grenade at us as we flew after in pursuit. The explosion claimed two of our numbers and Ryuu flew into a rage. He ordered us to bring everyone of the hoodlums to him alive so he could deal with them.”

“We manage to capture two, but the others disappeared into the red light district, taking cover in one of the many abandoned warehouses. Before our eyes, Ryuu disemboweled our captives and laughed as they bled to death. He even went so far as to stuff their own entrails into their mouths to prevent them from crying for help. The other boys watched the scene with impassive faces, some even sneered delightfully. My disgust must have shown own features, for Ryuu turned and boxed my ears. ‘What are they to you? An assassin has no feelings’ he hissed.”

“I was an assassin, it was true. But I killed my targets quickly and move on, much to my colleagues’ amusement. They found it odd that I did not find joy in torturing victims. I only thought about getting the job done. I live only for the mission, since it kept me efficient.”

“Ryuu kept a wary eye on me as we scoured the town for the rest of the gang. They hid themselves well and we could find no sign of them. Refusing to leave a job unfinished, Ryuu ordered us to raze the entire town to the dust.”

“The others complied and began firing upon the inhabitants. Only I refused to take part in it. Ryuu became livid and beat me soundly before declaring that if I wanted to continue as a Dragon student I had better follow his orders. Maybe it was teenage rebellion. I told him I wanted nothing from him. I left and took my own road, forming the Crane School. Since then, Ryuu never forgave me for walking out.”

Tsuru’s narrative came to a close, and he looked expectedly at the other two.

The goddess scowled and clenched the rod of her halberdier. “Then this Ryuusennin must die for his atrocious slaughter of innocents.”

“Not that disagree with you, dearie,” Baba quipped. “But I’m afraid that to find him you must find the dragon balls.” She glanced over to Tsuru. “Perhaps you could be of assistance with that Dragon Radar of yours. No doubt where the next dragon ball is that Ryuu isn’t far behind. It would be best if you keep it from his hands.”

Annin’s glare turned upon Tsuru. “Him? I cant’ believe you’re suggesting I work with this…this…murderer.” She spat the last word distastefully.

“You have no choice. Tsuru is your only lead.” The older woman harrumphed.

Tsuru stared at her in disbelief. “Baba, what the hell are you getting me into?”

“I’m advising you to cooperate with Annin. She can be quite nasty if you don’t.”

“What ever for?”

Baba narrowed her eyes. “Wuu, you and I both know that if Ryuusennin gets a hold of all seven dragon balls. The fate of the planet is in jeopardy. Even you, for all your contempt for the world, cannot turn a blind eye to this.”

He let out a sardonic chuckle. “And what makes you think I’m any better?”

The female warrior glared at Tsuru. “He’s got a point. Why should I trust him?”

“As far as I’m concerned, Tsuru’s enemy is your enemy. So you’ll do yourselves a favor by working together, if for a while.”

Annin looked as if she had swallowed a lemon.

The aspect didn’t thrill Tsuru either. The Amazon princess had almost cleaved him in half in their last row and somehow he got the impression that once all seven of the dragon balls were gathered, he would not live to see the Eternal Dragon.

They parted from Baba in the frilly-themed foyer. It was there Tsuru’s eye caught sight of a familiar photo next to the mirror. In it was him as a young man who had yet to see what suffering was. Upon his lap sat the two-year-old Tao Pai Pai. The two were sharing their last minutes before Tsuru had to leave for Mutaito’s dojo. Roshi stood in the background calling to him to hurry.

Tsuru stared silently at the picture and traced a hand over it. For a moment, he was there, carefree and happy. He did not want to leave.

Someone cleared their throat and drew him back to cold reality. Baba studied him carefully. “I took that picture remember? Back when I was a young vixen. Course we all change in time don’t we?”

“Yes. We sure do,” Tsuru answered softly.

Description
Ch. 13: An Unlikely Truce

Tsuru had been in neater junkyards than this. But then Baba was probably too busy goggling at her crystal ball to notice the clutter she lived in. Mounds of books lay in the open, turning the room into a miniature labyrinth.

Of course, Annin took no note of their surroundings. She knocked crisply on Baba’s door.

“Yes. Yes. Come in.” A voiced piped up.

They entered into a study of sorts. More books and papers lay strewn about. Chintz chairs were mixed with hardbacks and beanbags. In the middle of the hurricane sat the wizen Baba, with her crystal ball before her as always. She got up from her place and greeted them.

“Annin, always a pleasure to see you dear,” she smiled. Then her eye caught sight of Tsuru. “And here is Wuu himself. My, you look strapping as always. You always were quite hand-“

“I go by Tsuru now thank you,” he interrupted uncomfortably.

The witch gazed at him a moment and nodded solemnly. It was business trip after all. Still, she couldn’t recall the last time anyone stopped by for companionship alone. Not even her useless brother Roshi.

She turned back to Annin and cocked a brow. “Honestly, dearie, you shouldn’t trust words from dying lips as a reliable source.”

Tsuru frowned. “What?”

“You see Wuu, the souls of those murdered tend to roam outside of Other World if they have no one to avenge them. Annin knows that they could not speak so she went to Earth to find the killer herself. She tracked him by the path of destruction left in his wake and found among his victims a young child on the verge of death. Bringing her ear to his lips, she managed to make out the words “Tsurusennin” and “Dragon ball.”

He glared at the stern-faced goddess. “And so you assumed it was me.”

“Well, who else could it be? The boy came from the leper colony. Upa’s people were warned by Korin about you after your brother’s visit.”

“She that makes me the primary suspect?”

Baba wedged her way between them. “Now, look. Wouldn’t you rather find out who is really to blame instead? Make up your minds already. My crystal ball needs recharging every six hours.”

Still fixing dark gazes at the other, they followed Baba over to the massive orb perched on a solid gold serpentine stand. Swirling gray clouds churned within its depths. With the wave of her hand, they parted as an image came into focus.

Yet another village, yet again no survivors. Tsuru shuddered, remembering. The memory etched too deep in his soul to be forgotten. A suppressed a cry.

Annin gave him a puzzled look before returning her attention to the orb, which panned over the town. Rows and rows of dead. The field littered with them. The stream ran red. She bit her lip as she recalled the souls that haunted the threshold of her temple. Their eyes filled with sorrow and anguish. She vowed to avenge them no matter what.

Amid the sea of bodies stood a lone figure clad in blue oriental robes. A long white-gray mane trailed down his back. The face seemed ancient yet ageless, with high cheekbones and forehead. Steely gray eyes gaze at the fallen with indifference.

Tsuru gasped.

The witch watched him. “Friend of yours, Wuu? But of course, he still harbors that grudge against you.”

Annin looked up in interest. “Who is he?”

The Crane Master’s face became unreadable. Only a slight twitch in his jaw betrayed his calm countenance. “He is Ryuusennin, the Dragon Master, my former master.”

“It was many years ago that I joined him after the fall of King Piccolo. Once Roshi and I parted ways, I searched for another school that would bring out my full potential. One that would not deceive me with the rubbish Mutaito taught. I found the Dragon School was more than sufficient.”

“At first, I could barely survive my first year. The training left my body racked with pain each night that I thought it a miracle I could face another day. I pushed myself however, determined not to lag behind. My efforts paid off. Ryuu noticed and selected me to as one of the members of his inner circle.”

“I remember the torture I went through in the advance training. The life from me was almost drained from constant use of forbidden attacks. At first, I thought nothing of why I had been chosen. Decision weren’t questioned, after all. Ryuu came and went, with no word of his whereabouts.”

“Then one night he allowed me and the other privileged boys to come on one of his midnight ventures. Like the other students, I too was excited at the possibility that our master would teach us an ultimate technique. I was gravely mistaken.”

“I remember him commenting that it was good that it was a cloudy night, that we had stealth on our side. We hid along the growth surrounding a village. Then as the moon became shrouded by another bank of mist, we struck. The town erupted like an angry swarm. I made my first kill, a man who had offended our client by swindling him. I stepped over his corpse and his blood stained rug and entered the courtyard by the side door.”

“In the garden, I came across Ryuu, who had cornered a young servant girl and made suggestive advances toward her. She didn’t seem frightened, but rather apprehensive. It didn’t appear that she was aware of his presence. I realized however that she was blind. I became appalled at Ryuusennins’s repulsive appetite, and turned away, running from the scene. The master must have spotted me, for the very next morning he accosted me on the stair landing. ‘Listen, my boy. As assassins, we get the job done, killing those who wronged our clients. But we are also entitled to personal satisfaction. Spoils of war, as they say.’

“How I detested his choice of words. ‘Spoils of war?’ I replied. ‘Money and weapons taken as keepsakes I could understand. At least they’re objects.’ ”

“He scowled at me and asked me what difference did it make with women or any townspeople? We dropped the matter for a week. But I knew a plan was forming in Ryuu’s mind. It was only a matter of time. The chance came when we made another night sojourn to kill off a client’s rival gang. It was a fiasco. One of the Dragon students alerted the lot by tripping over a motorbike. The men took to the road, firing at us with handguns. One hurled a grenade at us as we flew after in pursuit. The explosion claimed two of our numbers and Ryuu flew into a rage. He ordered us to bring everyone of the hoodlums to him alive so he could deal with them.”

“We manage to capture two, but the others disappeared into the red light district, taking cover in one of the many abandoned warehouses. Before our eyes, Ryuu disemboweled our captives and laughed as they bled to death. He even went so far as to stuff their own entrails into their mouths to prevent them from crying for help. The other boys watched the scene with impassive faces, some even sneered delightfully. My disgust must have shown own features, for Ryuu turned and boxed my ears. ‘What are they to you? An assassin has no feelings’ he hissed.”

“I was an assassin, it was true. But I killed my targets quickly and move on, much to my colleagues’ amusement. They found it odd that I did not find joy in torturing victims. I only thought about getting the job done. I live only for the mission, since it kept me efficient.”

“Ryuu kept a wary eye on me as we scoured the town for the rest of the gang. They hid themselves well and we could find no sign of them. Refusing to leave a job unfinished, Ryuu ordered us to raze the entire town to the dust.”

“The others complied and began firing upon the inhabitants. Only I refused to take part in it. Ryuu became livid and beat me soundly before declaring that if I wanted to continue as a Dragon student I had better follow his orders. Maybe it was teenage rebellion. I told him I wanted nothing from him. I left and took my own road, forming the Crane School. Since then, Ryuu never forgave me for walking out.”

Tsuru’s narrative came to a close, and he looked expectedly at the other two.

The goddess scowled and clenched the rod of her halberdier. “Then this Ryuusennin must die for his atrocious slaughter of innocents.”

“Not that disagree with you, dearie,” Baba quipped. “But I’m afraid that to find him you must find the dragon balls.” She glanced over to Tsuru. “Perhaps you could be of assistance with that Dragon Radar of yours. No doubt where the next dragon ball is that Ryuu isn’t far behind. It would be best if you keep it from his hands.”

Annin’s glare turned upon Tsuru. “Him? I cant’ believe you’re suggesting I work with this…this…murderer.” She spat the last word distastefully.

“You have no choice. Tsuru is your only lead.” The older woman harrumphed.

Tsuru stared at her in disbelief. “Baba, what the hell are you getting me into?”

“I’m advising you to cooperate with Annin. She can be quite nasty if you don’t.”

“What ever for?”

Baba narrowed her eyes. “Wuu, you and I both know that if Ryuusennin gets a hold of all seven dragon balls. The fate of the planet is in jeopardy. Even you, for all your contempt for the world, cannot turn a blind eye to this.”

He let out a sardonic chuckle. “And what makes you think I’m any better?”

The female warrior glared at Tsuru. “He’s got a point. Why should I trust him?”

“As far as I’m concerned, Tsuru’s enemy is your enemy. So you’ll do yourselves a favor by working together, if for a while.”

Annin looked as if she had swallowed a lemon.

The aspect didn’t thrill Tsuru either. The Amazon princess had almost cleaved him in half in their last row and somehow he got the impression that once all seven of the dragon balls were gathered, he would not live to see the Eternal Dragon.

They parted from Baba in the frilly-themed foyer. It was there Tsuru’s eye caught sight of a familiar photo next to the mirror. In it was him as a young man who had yet to see what suffering was. Upon his lap sat the two-year-old Tao Pai Pai. The two were sharing their last minutes before Tsuru had to leave for Mutaito’s dojo. Roshi stood in the background calling to him to hurry.

Tsuru stared silently at the picture and traced a hand over it. For a moment, he was there, carefree and happy. He did not want to leave.

Someone cleared their throat and drew him back to cold reality. Baba studied him carefully. “I took that picture remember? Back when I was a young vixen. Course we all change in time don’t we?”

“Yes. We sure do,” Tsuru answered softly.