One Side of the Leaf

A large power level approaching had already snapped his senses in truth. But admittedly he did not flinch yet; rather his mind began to slowly replay some of the last moments they met. How strange had they been, the last couple of months? To be honest it was a long and strange shot to describe, one that both made no sense and yet bore some kind of meaning altogether. He believed he understood most of it by now, which was why he was no longer afraid of it.

The unknown was fearful. But now that it was no longer threat for it rested inside some corner of his body and unable to say or do much without the man's consent, he was in charge of his body once more.

Besides, though, it had been so long that back then he had not even gone through the incident yet. Everything was different, he did not even remember a large portion of his past unlike now that all of it had finally gone down the drain. He was free, and he had moved on for good. Even thinking of it now, Cheri did not know that and a whole lot, even on Earth, most of his memories were repressed at the time.

"Long time indeed."

He turned, with most of his locks soaked but they did not shield his face. Perhaps all she could see in his eye was that his intent was no different, still Nasu, but the outline was a little deeper; the face of one who had seen a lot of things. How could there exist a man that had fought and lost all, and yet so solemnly continue on without a bit of tiredness in his eyes?

"You have no idea. I do not think any meal could last long enough to go through all of it in one sitting."

He could only leave it there for one sentence, there was no way that he could make any of it justice just by combining some words for one moment's worth.

"Ah. I get it now, it must have slipped my mind."

Just like that his massive energy slowly lowered once more after he had realized how she had found him to begin with, now once more standing on a threatless scale. But he did not mind this incident one bit.

"Good, that saved me the trouble of looking for you."

Once he had turned around, his attire was different yet again, but while it bore some level of sembleance with the attire he had gotten on Earth together with her, it looked a lot wilder, especially from the waist down. But the patterns and more probably yet echoed of that one day far into the past.

"How are you, Cheri? I have heard a lot of things. I am happy it could end the way it did."

If it did not end that way, he would have been on the opposing side of the battlefield, or at least his body would have been, controlled by another.

WC: 508

"I am to receive boundless attention, then. I am not planning to stop anytime soon."

Yes. It was only a matter of time until he would grow stronger, he could already feel his muscles crying out in pain most of the time from the daily training; but it was not just that. The experiences he managed to gather both in combat and socially were shaping him day after day.

"I hope I did not pull you out of something important."

A war ending the way it did was certainly some level of a good ending. However he wondered how much the population truly felt at peace, surely there had to be remorse and regrets that would not disappear for centuries. But that was beyond anyone's undertaking; those were not something any single individual could fix all by themselves.

"I had a hard time believing it at first. But I guess the Saiyans got a fine King for once."

In truth Nasu did not trust anything or anyone after many of the events that had taken place. At least not that easily, whatever that King was made of, he would be certain himself the day he could assess him with his own eyes.

"You do not look like you have slowed down. You are as precise and efficient as I remember, you are even rocking a nicer suit now."

He knew what she meant. But it was a good time as any for a compliment. She gave him one, after all, and he appreciated it.

Where had Nasu been?

To be honest, that very question somewhat disturbed him. It was not a problem to answer, kind of, but rather to him it pictured Cheri in his mind as a mad Tuffle; had she truly been offended by his prolonged absence? He could only hope not, he was not sure how manageable an angry Cheri could be but it felt a bit inquisitive on his soul and therefore even then he hesitated a bit.

"It is one hell of a story. I say hell literally. You could say I have been back and forth through hell."

It would not be inaccurate to describe it so. Just thinking about it, having had to witness the deaths of his family and the needless carnage that took place back on his homeworld because of ignorance and zealots, truly it was hell. But even more was it that he had been stripped of his own body in the process, left to be a particle of dust in his own soul.

Even now he was thankful. Something which he did not take for granted anymore was the freedom of taking the actions he wanted to take. Why was this not meant to be a certainty in anyone's life?

"I can share, though. If you have time for it, of course. And maybe a better place to tell a tale."

They were alone on the rooftops, but he did not know how unlikely it was for some to be eavesdropping with their scouters or some other technological device. It was nothing alike a secret but he would have preferred not to spread the events that had taken beyond Cheri's notice.

WC: 532

That was indeed the way Cheri usually approached things; things were important but not that important. When it came to diplomacy and all that he remembered a stance like that where she did not let it get to her, while he could not exactly share that mindset whenever he tried.

"I expected an answer like that."

He believed the two would probably understand one another on most occasions but that would not always be a constant between any single two people, for example what he had earlier stated simply admired the fact that Cheri did not seem to lose any hits from the period of 'peace' from the war.

"Oh? Thanks..."

He looked at her somewhat surprised. To be fair, she did not understand what he meant apparently and he was having a hard time trying to figure that one out, but he guessed that was also a compliment somehow. If he was not senile then that meant that was he still had a youthful look, right?

The man rose a brow in surprise when a... thing appeared out of nowhere. They looked similar to other things he had seen on Earth so he did not exactly have to act like a caveman but he did hesitate for a moment. After a short while, though, Nasu simply tried to climb inside the taxi and got himself a seat. It felt odd, did all of them travel like this? Did they not know how to fly?

"It is strange. I have not indeed ever seen your home. But that is because back then we would not have had the time to possibly spend like this."

The war, for how freezing cold it was at times, usually had everyone wondering if the somebody would not start a siege the next moment. Similar incidents happened.

"What is this called, anyway?"

WC: 307

Home.

Nice old word. It was one that you would either like it or like it, there was no other way or in between; hardly anyone could possibly refuse the chance of going home. Maybe only under certain circumstances but the man could only imagine the feeling of going back home after a long day of work, being greeted by family. Not that he needed to imagine it, his memories were there by now. It was just not in his interest to dwell on them endlessly so.

"I must have been somewhere around twenty, the last time I had a place of my own."

That had to be about right. He could not recall the exact age at that moment but he knew that it had been so long. Ever since then he had mostly used whatever he could find to rest; whether it was a station or a tavern, but in the best case scenario he would just be falling asleep on his ship. In a way that was his current place, except that it was not a house or anything alike.

"In truth I guess I do not mind my current situation one bit. For me a place is compromised by those you share it with, so I doubt I will get one of my own."

The man sat, and easily enough he expected most of what happened. He knew there was probably going to be something weird with the seats, it looked like this would handle any scenario just fine. So he did not much to question it but rather just reviewed it. He kind of liked the idea of seeing the city from up above, even if he was not on par with his usual speed he found it somewhat of an interesting view. Perhaps it was also the fact that this thing was slower than he was, therefore he could enjoy it a little longer.

"Worry not, Cheri. I do not understand one bit of what a change in gravity would be like."

He said, with the first trace of a smile on his face. Even with his more serious and darker look upon him, he still managed to find the energy to tease and laugh. The Saiyan soon returned, sat in his seat while he waited for their arrival.

"I guess the last bed I used to sleep was on Namek. I did use their beds for a while."

He guessed they were okay for the most part. A bed was a bed, what changed were usually the decorations.

WC: 425

A home of his own. Just for himself. Of course that was also a chance but that did not mean that it was one that he did dismiss outright, but when was the last time he had a place of 'his' own? There was some digging to do, but to be fair, he never did.

"On my world I was always the son of the King, even if I had not been chosen to be the firstborn. As law dictated, even if I would not inherit the kingdom I would still live well because of my lineage. Thus, even when I was training to be a soldier I lived at palace."

Adventurous and easy times those were. The very definition of youth was the only feeling he could offer as attribute and testament to when he was much shorter than he could currently stand for.

"I did get a place eventually, when I got married. A mansion, even. So, perhaps I have never really known the value of a home that is not connected to all those I used to know."

The tram finally stopped. Once he looked away, and about, he met eyes with a remarkably regular building. Not that he was surprised or disappointed, he knew Cheri enough not to expect her to wear fancy things; why would she have a fancy home?

"What do you mean?"

Nasu asked, cluelessly. He did not quite catch on her statement exactly, what was not meant to change? When she briefly explained, then he was actually surprised. Where did that come from now?

He looked at her for a few seconds before he chuckled it away with a grin on his face. What the hell?

"I am not going to steal your bed, don't sweat it."

There was probably no need to exactly request a sleep over from Cheri in any case, he did not have much of a reason to camp inside her place, after all. This was merely a place more suitable to telling a tale than it could be doing it up a rooftop.

"I am okay with sitting on the floor, too."

There was not a need for him to watch for his height. He had already hit his head, she just did not notice apparently. He decided to stay quiet about it for the moment, but of course he could tell her place was cozy enough to be the place of a person whom lived on their own.

"I do not think Saiyans are intelligent enough to do that. And I am putting myself on the line first."

He said briefly. He had gotten enough of a look at the Saiyans during his brief moments as a spy, he knew that they had little you could consider remarkable about them.

"Is it just news or do you guys have anything else in the television?"

But he guessed there was no better time to start explaining.

"By the way, it's true I postponed the explanations. But I should apologize first. I wanted to come visit sooner but there was an emergency on Namek and they asked for my help. But I plan to stay for a while now. Now, that aside, do you have any questions? I am not sure exactly where to begin myself, honestly."

WC: 549

Was it a dangerous assumption to make, underestimating Saiyans? Perhaps so. He did not exactly consider most of his people dangerous even after his life had basically been ruined by one Saiyan alone but he believed all individuals were different, and only a few were truly born to be as sketchy and manipulative as some could be. He did not know the extent of Saiyan technology, honestly. Surely it could not equal the ones of the Tuffles if they did not have some inside help.

"True. I will give you that. But I still go by what I say; there is no way the Saiyans alone can do much. Maybe with a Tuffle's help. Saiyans look like a strong warrior race, but in truth I think most of us need others more than anyone else for we draw power on emotions. I think few individuals can equal the power of emotions pouring from others on their own."

But it was true. Culture was more important than species, but some things would not change. It was part of one's being at their cells, surely. Those had to mean something, too. But other than that Cheri was kind enough to perhaps leave him out of his own selection with those words.

His eye shifted to the television. He was a bit curious at first but honestly it looked quite enjoyable all things considered. He was a bit worried if the news did not just talk about the same things altogether, but at least there were documentaries. Before long, however, he did not even know where to sit compared to her. He looked at her a bit puzzled before he just hopped on the other end of the pink couch, and melted into it, feeling comfortable enough.

"Then I had decided to spy on the Vegeteans. I thought it could help. But on one particular day Rosemary had decided to take the throne for herself. I did not know her and I did not know what to expect out of her therefore I decided to contest it. Not that I aimed to become King but at least to deny her ascensions should she reveal herself to be a tyrant or anything like that. But I did not notice at first just how many Saiyans blindly followed her lead."

He paused briefly, his chin resting into one hand as if the pose helped him recollect those memories from the past.

"She had a strange power. One I seem to have assimilated somehow, even though in a different form. She could influence other Saiyans. I made the mistake to challenge and anger her openly, and I paid the price the moment she forced that spell on me. For some reason I lost all memories after that, I could once more turn into an Oozaru, despite having no recollection of ever doing so and I was a different... person."

The man looked into the palm of his hand, his eyes a bit narrow. She could probably tell that he still had some level of remorse.

"It was like a dream from which I was also always aware of what was going on. But I could not do anything. This Nasu for a time knew nothing, and also followed Rosemary. Even though it was basically useless. She barely deployed me for some reason, so most of the time my body was inside a room in the palace and somehow that made things worse, as he would keep hearing familiar voices."

Once more a pause, he gazed at her shortly.

"Yours, for example."

He let his hand rest into the couch once more and rested into it with both arms crossed over his chest.

"That is why I disappeared. I am not proud of it, to have been mind controlled like that. My only relief is that I committed nothing that I would later regret. At least for the time that I was on Plant."

WC: 657