Part 6
Chapter 1
"Kiss the Sky"
The feeling of weightlessness seemed to be everywhere, as if it was in the air itself. The sense of peace could not be ignored. The smell of cherry blossems hung untangably in the air, causing a sort of light headedness. A gental breeze blew the cherry trees, and blew the warmth from the ground back up into the air.
The rythem of warmth and aromas was soothing. Everything was in harmony, except for one body floating up to the heavens. She seemed to be sleeping, an dnot having a good dream. She tossed and turned slightly, fighting the demons that reigned her sleep. Slowly, ever so slowly, she stopped and seemed to be at ease.
She opened her eyes only to quickly close them again due to the brightness of the sun. Soon the thought of just drifting filled her mind, and her mind went set on not caring anymore. Sorrow crept into her heart and mind as she continued to drift up to the check in station.
A pair of shadows crept down from the clouds and watched her. Both with silvery gray eyes. With wings spread wide in a silver-white arc, it looked like a protective barrior's shadow around the floating spirit. The sorrowful spirit took no notice of the shadow across her.
The shadows soon turned to shadows of pure light. Hey began circling the spirit, and whispered incoherintly. Soon they were at level with her and made light rings around her because of their circling. Together, the light shadows and the spirit, rose up into the clouds, yet the seemed to go no further.
Finally the light shadows stopped and stud infront of the spirit's head. The spirit stopped and opened her eyes.
"Nan.... ?" She looked straight up at the almost turquise morning sky. Whispers came to her ears, but she couldn't tell where they came from. The light shadows seemed to be giggling, then they stooped over her so she could see them. She blinked a few times, then gave a sad smile.
"Des-chan...Kin...." They smiled back at her. Leela turned herself in the air and sat on her knees infront of them. She streched out her arms and took the two child tenchis into her arms. They giggled and hugged back. After a while they parted reluctantly, yet it seemed time hadn't passed at all, nor would.
"So your tenchis huh?" Leela smiled at them. They nodded with a smile back.
"Since we're children, and yours, we were able to become tenchis as soon as we reached the check in station to see King Yemma." Destiny pointed upwards as she spoke.
"Well I guess your here to show me the way huh?" There was an odd silence after Leela's question as the two tenchis looked at each other then down at Earth. They shook their heads simotaniously. Leela's mouth stud slightly agap with a raised eyebrow as she looked at her children.
"What do you mean?" She asked in wonder, not quite understanding.
"It's not your time to go." Kin finally spoke.
"And, your body isn't completely dead." Destiny put in and watched her mother shake her head.
"Iie... don't tell me that." She was on the verge of crying. Destiny and Kin floated foreword and gave her another hug.
"Don't be sad Kaasan." Destiny said as she laid her head on Leela's shoulder.
"Hai, please don't." Kin did the same thing then pulled away slightly. "We're spirit protecters now." He smiled.
"Hai! We protect spirits on their way to the check in station." Destiny gave a smile with closed eyes as she to pulled away slightly. Leela couldn't say anything for a few moments as she looked upon them for the last time.
"Kimi wo aishiteru, Destiny... Kin." She pulled them into her arms again with watery eyes.
"Kimi wo aishiteru, Kaasan." They repeated simotaniously then pulled away from her embrace. "Now live Kaasan... and be happy." They smiled and put up a hand. Destiny on the left held up her right, and Kin, his left. A bright light formed from their hands and became a blinding light. Leela knew no more.
Slowly, the sound of sobbing drifted into Leela's cotten filled mind. It took a few minutes for her to register what it was. Then the sensation of being held came a moment later. Reluctently she opened her eyes to slits and saw the remainder of Fate's house. Her breathing was vary light, and her longs aced for oxygen.
With dificulty she opened her eyes more and winced as she began feeling how badly she had been beaten. A glint of light caught her eye. She blinked and saw Kiyoshi looking at her. She smiled at him.
(Shhhh)She sent him a mental message which made him smile to. A warmness was starting to fill the room. Lotanks started mubbling about being sorry. Leela smiled gently and gave a wink at Kiyoshi.
"What are you sorry about Lo-kun?" She asked softly, but was still unable to move.
"I didn't make it in ti..." Suddenly he pulled her from him, he held her by the shoulders and stared unbelievingly at her. She gave a weak smile that was slightly a smirk and closed her eyes in exhaustion. Her head fell foreword onto her chest as she slipped back to the land of Nod. Lotanks picked her up gently, and tenderly he put his head against hers as he stood up. He closed his eyes and held her as tightly as he dared without hurting her. She laid like a broken doll in his arms.
"Come on Ki... lets go home." He looked over at Kiyoshi who had sat down and looked exhausted. Ki looked up at him with sorrow filled eyes and got up. He walked toward Lotanks who closed the distance and stooped to look at Kiyoshi. "Your one tough little guy, can you do me a favore?" He smiled weakly at the young boy.
"Hai..." He answer was slow as he looked at Lotanks.
"Will you help me put your Okaasan to bed?" Kiyoshi nodded at the request. Lotanks looked over and noticed the bodies of Destiny and Kin were now gone. "Lets go home..." Lotanks stud back up and closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them when Kiyoshi put an arm around his leg. He smiled warmly at the boy then pushed the star-point in. All three of them disappeared in a crome orb and reappeared outside the V.Briefs house in the forest. Lotanks lead the way inside as Kiyoshi opened the doors for him.
Kiyoshi watched as Lotanks laid her down on the bed then gently pull the covers over her. Leela didn't move, but she seemed a bit more at ease. Kiyoshi didn't know how he would ever feel better, he had always been with his brothers and sister. Lothen and Kin were always there to play with, and Destiny was the one who usually cheered him up on rainy days. It was raining outside at that moment, it's soft pounding against the bedroom window and roufe made it even more hard to believe that only Lothen was left with him.
Kiyoshi turned his head to look at the ground. He wanted to cry so badly, but held it back with great determination. His eyes closed as he sat down with his back on the door jam. Nothing made sense to his tierd mind, having just been released from Fate's spell, his head hurt as it begain to work the parts which had been blocked. He pulled up his knees and bearied his face in them. He dozed slightly but didn't fall asleep.
Lotanks looked over at Kiyoshi and smiled. Getting up from the bed, he went over and kneeled infront of him. Kiyoshi didn't make as if he'd notice so Lotanks brushed away some of the black stripped blond hair Kiyoshi's forehead. Kiyoshi looked up with a drowsy expression and put his arms around Lotanks' neck as he pick him up. He laid his head on his shoulder as they walked to the boys' bed room.
"Your Okaasan would be vary proud of you if she were awake. I know I am." Lotanks whispered and rubbed Kiyoshi's back asa he as they neared the room. Kiyoshi let a small smile come then let himself drift into the land of Nod. A few moments later Lotanks laid Kiyoshi down on his bed and tucked him in.
"Sleep well Ki, you deserve it." He got up and closed the dorr softly so as not to wake Lothen or Kiyoshi. He left a hand on the door nob and put the other on the door with his forehead. He closed his eyes as he stud there for amoment or two then went back to his room. Leela laid where he had left her. One hand on her belly, the other on the bed.
Lotanks went to the opposite side of the bed and laid down with his eyes on her. He reached over and brushed some of her jet black hair from her bruised face. His mind werled as he wondered what would of happened if he had caught up with her before she had reached Fate. Would all of the children be alive right now? Could he have saved Leela from being hurt so badly? So many questions raced trough his mind until a faint mental message told him to sleep. He fell asleep even though he protested, letting the hase fall to a sleepy silence.
The feelingof being watched woke Lotanks early the next morning. When he opened his eyes he was looking into Leela's. Only her eyes were a pale dusty green instead of the bright lime green he remembered. They laid there staring at each other for a while untill Lotanks couldn't hold back his question any longer.
"Why did you leave without me?" His voice nor his face held anger, but Leela could tell he was upset.
"I wasn't thinking, all I knew was that they were going to try to get free and I had to help... Gomen-nasi Lo-kun" Her answer was soft, but there was a slight tremble to it. He scooted over to her and took her gently into his arms.
"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't of asked... I'm just happy that you and Ki survived." Leela smiled slightly and closed her eyes.
"Kaasan?" Ki's voice came from the door way. He seemed to be not sure of what to do. Leela lifted her head and used her arms to call him to her. He walked up to the bed then slipped into his mother's embrace.
"I'll go start breakfast, anything particular you two would like?" Lotanks got out of bed and streatched.
"Anything you want to make Lo-kun." Leela answered in a soft tone again and smiled. He smiled and left, leaving Leela to watch him leave. "Ki, are you ok?" She whispered and held him tight. His back was to her chest so she wasn't sure about his expression.
"Hai... just tierd." He whispered back with a yawn and cuddles into the nuck of Leela's body.
"I bet you are, rest your mind Ki, theres nothing to worry about now." She craddled on her left arm and wrapped her right around him as she whispered back, knowing they both couldn't handle regular noise at the moment. Mother and son laid with eyes closed and at peace with the world at hand.
About half an hour later, Leela heared the three sleepers wake up. Lothen seemed to know something was wrong with their mother. He had a feeling that he needed to be quiet. The twins came out of their room laughing.
"SHH!" Lothen put a finger to his mouth and hushed his sisters. They looked at him with surprise.
"What is it itoto?" Ma asked in a low voice.
"Is somthing wrong?" Mi asked after her twin was done.
"Okaasan is hurt." He looked down the hall at the door that stud slightly ajar.
"Nani?" Ma and Mi asked simotaniously.
"Hai, she's hurt." He seemed distracted and the twins weren't sure what was going on.
"How do you know Lothen?"Mi asked the question that was on both girls' minds.
"It's here." He put a fist to his chest then turned to look at them. Sadness filled his small face, and tears stud on the thresh hold of going down his checks.
"There's something else isn't there?"..." Ma asked and looked vary worried.
"Hai... Kiyohi is home.. but not Des or Kin..." He didn't want or had to say that they were dead, they all felt it now. They felt how heavy their mother's heart was, and the extent of Leela and Ki's injuries. A deep silence filled the space between the children. Lothen stud watching the other two, then turned and went to the door of his parents' room. The twins followed their younger brother to the door. Lothen opened the door and went quietly to his mother and brother.
His eyes widened as he saw how badly they were hurt, but he sat down next to them. Leela opened her eyes slightly and took Lothen's hand into the one that had been wrapped around Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi, being asleep again, turned over and now faced Leela. Lothen gave a slight squeeze and smiled sadly.
'Don't be sad Lo-san, they wouldn't want you to be sad.' Leela squeesed Lothen's hand to reasure him. He looked up at her, but didn't change his expression.
'I can't help it Kaasan.' One tear slipped down his cheek. Leela took her thumb and whipped it away as she touched his cheek.
'I know... it's hard... but we can at least try... right?' Leela gave a weak smile and sat up. She took Lothen into her arms and held him a while. Ma and Mi watched from the door, not understanding what had happened while they had slept. When Leela and Lothen broke apart the twins stepped into the room. Leela looked over at them and smiled, the twins gasped in reply.
"Kaasan!" They exclaimed in unison. Leela winced and covered her ears.
'Mi! Ma! Please!... don't yell.' The message wasn't an angry one, but it was pained.
"Gomen... what happened to your eyes Kaasan?" Ma asked in a whisper.
"Fate... she killed herself to kill me and the younger kids." She paused, hoping the two girls would or could understand. "Kiyoshi and I barly excaped." She lowered her head slightly then laid down, unable to hold herself up anymore.
"So... Des and Kin are dead?" Meeli asked with teary eyes. Leela looked at her and didn't know what to do.
"Hai.. Mi-chan, they are." Meela and Meeli went over to the bed and sat down. Everyone sat in silence a few minutes until Leela spoke up.
"Why don't you three go help Otousan with breakfast huh?" They nodded and got up. 'Life always goes on m'loves.' They turned and gave her a small smile then left the room. She turned over and put an arm around Kiyoshi, almost as if to confert herself not him. She struggled to believe what she had just said and slowly fell back to sleep. One thought filled her mind as she slept, the thought was of her own mother and father, and her dreams were filled with old childhood laughter of her own which somehow seemed to get mixed with Destiny and Kin's.
(Dream)
"Hey Kit, I bet you can't catch me!" Leeli ran after her statement of challenge. Her light green hair blowing out in a wave behind her. Her bright green eyes sparkled with laughter. Leela giggled and chased after her sister on wabbly legs. The two year old wasn't quite use to running yet. The air on the look-out was vary pleasent, and big butterflys buzzed around the flowers in the small lanes of the walk ways.
"Lee!" Leela yelled out when she saw Leeli far ahead of herself. She tripped and fell on her face. She sat up on her bottom and let out her pain by crying. A shadow fell over the baby, yet she hadn't noticed.
"Get up." A voice came, almost booming down to her. She looked up, still sobbing a bit. "Get up, your not hurt." She whipped her eyes and nose with her cubby little hands. "Get up Leela, I'm not going to tell you again." She looked up then back down. Leela leaned foreward and used her hands to push herself back up. With a last look up she watched her father nod and walk away.
"Are you ok Kit?" Leeli came back and looked worried. Leela let her gaze shift to Leeli with a trembling lip and nodded. She was about to turn and walk back to the block pile when Leeli grabbed her hand. "Don't cry Kit, I'm sorry." Leela turned to look at her, then put her arms around her sister. Leeli hugged back to confert her little sister. Leela cried a little more then pulled away and whipped her eyes again.
"Come on Kit, lets go catch butterflys." Leeli took one of Leela's little hands into one of her own little hands and lead her over to the flowers. Leela reached out to grasp a butterfly, it fluttered close to her face then went to another flower. Leela cooed then laughed as she went after the same butterfly.
Leeli laughed and started chasing the butterflys with Leela. The warmth of the day, and the buzz created a drowsy feel to everything. Everthing slowly disolves then reappears in the back yard of Sin's home.
Destiny and Kin were running around, chasing after three cats. The cats would bat at their hands then chase after a ball one of them would throw. They were only a year and two years old, but they had learned how to walk and run much faster then Leela had. They were laughing and giggling as they continued going after the cats.
Finally the sound of something not quite audible brought Leela back to the present and out of her dream. She opened her eyes slowly, and found herself in her old room on the look out. Everything was so still that she hadn't seen her father against the door jam. Leela sat up and put her feet on the floor as she looked around the room. Butterflys stud in glass on the walls, each held a memory with it's silence.
Leela got up off the bed and looked at the door. Piccalo was watching both her and the hallway outside her door. She stepped up to her father, not quite knowing what to say. Silence fille the space between them.
"Konnichiwa, Tousan." Leela whispered and smiled as she looked up at him. He gave a faint smile back and inclined his head.
"How did you get all of that white hair?" Leela was puzzled, not only did she not know what he meant, but she hadn't a clue as to how she had gotten to the look out in her dimension.
"Nani?" She let her brows nit together and pursed her lips. Piccalo motioned into the room. Leela followed his gesture and saw herself in the mirror on her old dresser. The white patch of hair that had been at the back of her head, and hidden, was now more prominate. It was in a circular shape, but not to big. It now could be held in a fist, and barly let the fingers touch.
Leela stared at her reflection in the mirror and played with the white hair. Her mind was somewhat stunnded, and yet not surprised at all. She knew she had to of shown something for her battle with Fate, but she hadn't expected it to be her hair. After a few minutes she turned to look at her father again.
"I got it from my fight with Fate... she used her pshyic abilities to self-distruct and kill us all." She turned, playing with the white hair, to face the wall adjacent from her father. "Destiny... and Kin didn't survive the blast, Kiyoshi did because he was somehow inbetween Kin, who was holding Destiny, and myself." She whispered slowly, turned 180 degrees and sat in the chair by the door.
"At least you saved one of them." Piccalo said the first approval slash fatherly thing Leela has heard in many years.
"I almost died myself... but Destiny and Kin wouldn't let me go with them." She smiled and closed her eyes. Piccalo looked over at her, and although he didn't smile with his mouth, his eyes gave away the fact that he was happy and proud of her.
"Get some more rest. I'll see about getting some more Zana beans from the garden." He was about to turn and go when he remembered something. "Don't worry, Lotanks has the kids outside. Kiyoshi is with them and seems fine now." With that said he walked out of the room, leaving Leela alone with her thoughts. Leela watched him go then got up and went to her bed. As she closed her eyes, she began wondering if it would be possible to bring them back. No more dreams pleaged her, but there was still a bit of uneasyness to her sleep.